Systems and methods for activating and using a trackpad at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display and no force sensors

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are single-finger gestures for activating a trackpad mode on a touch-sensitive device with no force sensors. An example method includes: displaying a virtual keyboard on a touch-sensitive display with a spacebar key and other keys. Detecting a first extended contact over the virtual keyboard and, in accordance with a determination that the first extended contact is over any of the respective displayed representations of the other keys, interpreting the first extended contact as a keyboard input and activating a corresponding extended keyboard function. The method also includes: detecting a second extended contact over the virtual keyboard. The method further includes: in accordance with a determination that the second extended contact is over a respective displayed representation of the spacebar key, interpreting the second extended contact as a mode-switching input that causes the electronic device to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitive display as a trackpad.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 62/679,964, filed Jun. 3, 2018, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to electronic deviceswith touch-sensitive displays and no force sensors and, morespecifically, to systems and methods for activating and using a trackpadat an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display and no forcesensors.

BACKGROUND

The use of touch-sensitive surfaces as input devices for computers andother electronic computing devices has increased significantly in recentyears. Example touch-sensitive surfaces include touch pads and touchscreen displays. Such surfaces are widely used to review and editelectronic documents by manipulating a cursor within the electronicdocument presented on a display. These electronic documents are viewedor edited within applications having viewing and editing capabilities(e.g., drawing applications, presentation applications (e.g., Apple'sKEYNOTE, or Microsoft's POWERPOINT), word processing applications (e.g.,Apple's PAGES or Microsoft's WORD), website creation applications,spreadsheet applications (e.g., Apple's NUMBERS or Microsoft's EXCEL)).

Some conventional cursor manipulation methods on touch-sensitive devicesrequire the use of force sensors and/or require that a user provide amulti-finger gesture (e.g., a gesture that requires a user to use two oftheir fingers, such as a two-finger tap). For touch-sensitive devicesthat do not include force sensors, pressure/force-sensitive gestures arenot available. Additionally, such devices can also have a small amountof display screen area (e.g., the displays on these devices aregenerally small) and, thus, use of multi-finger gestures are inefficientand obscure too much of the already-small amount of display screen area.Some other conventional cursor manipulation methods on touch-sensitivedevices require users to precisely place their finger at a desiredlocation within text and, because many of these devices have a smallamount of display screen area, these methods often result in inaccurateplacement of the cursor.

As such, it is desirable to provide single-finger gestures foractivating a trackpad mode (and accurately placing a cursor) for use onan electronic device with a touch-sensitive display and no forcesensors.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, there is a need for single-finger gestures for activating atrackpad mode for use on an electronic device with a touch-sensitivedisplay and no force sensors. The single-finger gestures discussedherein can also be implemented on devices that do include force sensors,but detection of these single-finger gestures does not require use anyof the force signals that might be generated by such force sensors(stated another way, even if the device did have force sensors, suchforce sensors are not required to detect the single-fingertrackpad-activation gestures discussed herein, e.g., the tip-to-printroll gesture and the extended contact over a predeterminedmode-switching area of a virtual keyboard (examples of themode-switching area include a spacebar key or an area of the virtualkeyboard that is below the spacebar key)).

The embodiments described herein address the above shortcomings byproviding devices and methods that allow users to provide single-fingergestures to activate a trackpad mode for use on an electronic devicewith a touch-sensitive display and no force sensors. On devices that donot include force sensors, devising a single-finger gesture that allowsfor switching to a trackpad mode, while also avoiding unnecessaryconfusion with other gestures is a very difficult task.

One example single-finger gesture described below is an extended contactover a spacebar key on a virtual keyboard (or over another designatedarea of the virtual keyboard, such as a bottom portion of the virtualkeyboard that does not include keys). Allowing a user to provide anextended contact over a spacebar key (or over another designated area ofthe virtual keyboard, such as a bottom portion of the virtual keyboardthat does not include keys) to then operate the electronic device as atrackpad affords the user with a convenient way to quickly switch from akeyboard-input mode and to a trackpad mode using only a single finger.Providing this interaction at electronic devices that do not includeforce sensors enhances operability of these devices and makes thehuman-machine interfaces on these devices more efficient (e.g., byallowing users to easily switch to a trackpad mode using a simplegesture without having to waste time trying to place a cursor withoutusing a trackpad mode or having to waste time using a complicatedsequence of user inputs or menu options to activate the trackpad mode).

Another example single-finger gesture described below is a tip-to-print(also referred to as a finger roll) gesture over a virtual keyboard.Allowing a user to roll a single finger over the virtual keyboard tothen operate the electronic device as a trackpad affords the user with aconvenient way to quickly switch from a keyboard-input mode and to atrackpad mode using only a single finger. Providing this interaction atelectronic devices that do not include force sensors enhancesoperability of these devices and makes the human-machine interfaces onthese devices more efficient (e.g., by allowing users to easily switchto a trackpad mode using a simple gesture without have to waste timetrying to place a cursor without using a trackpad mode or having towaste time using a complicated sequence of user inputs or menu optionsto activate the trackpad mode).

By providing more efficient human-machine interfaces, the devices andmethods described herein also reduce power usage (e.g., because usersprovide less inputs overall and spend less time performing manipulatingcursor locations) and, thereby, improve battery life of electronicdevices, and also use finite computing resources in a more efficientmanner.

(A1) In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at anelectronic device that includes a touch-sensitive display coupled with aplurality of touch sensors, wherein the touch-sensitive display is notcoupled with any force sensors. The method includes: displaying avirtual keyboard on the touch-sensitive display, the virtual keyboardincluding displayed representations of a spacebar key and other keys.The method further includes: detecting a first extended contact over thevirtual keyboard; and in accordance with a determination that the firstextended contact is over any of the respective displayed representationsof the other keys, interpreting the extended contact as a keyboard inputand activating a corresponding extended keyboard function. The methodalso includes: detecting a second extended contact over the virtualkeyboard; and in accordance with a determination that the secondextended contact is over a respective displayed representation of thespacebar key, interpreting the second extended contact as amode-switching input that causes the electronic device to operate atleast a portion of the touch-sensitive display as a trackpad.

On devices that do not include force sensors, devising a single-fingergesture that allows for switching to a trackpad mode, while alsoavoiding unnecessary confusion with other gestures is a very difficulttask. Allowing a user to provide an extended contact over a spacebar key(or over another designated area of the virtual keyboard, such as abottom portion of the virtual keyboard that does not include keys) tothen operate the electronic device as a trackpad affords the user with aconvenient way to quickly switch from a keyboard-input mode and to atrackpad mode. Providing this interaction at electronic devices that donot include force sensors enhances operability of these devices andmakes the human-machine interfaces on these devices more efficient(e.g., by allowing users to easily switch to a trackpad mode using asimple gesture without have to waste time trying to place a cursorwithout using a trackpad mode or having to waste time using acomplicated sequence of user inputs or menu options to activate thetrackpad mode).

(A2) In some embodiments of the method of A1, the method furtherincludes: while operating as the trackpad: detecting a lift-off of thesecond extended contact from the touch-sensitive display; and inresponse to detecting the lift-off of the second extended contact,determining whether any movement of the second extended contact acrossthe touch-sensitive display prior to the lift-off satisfies a movementparameter.

Use of the movement parameter can allow the electronic device toaccurately determine when to continue operating in the trackpad mode orwhen to exit the trackpad mode. By making the determination as towhether any movement of the second extended contact across thetouch-sensitive display satisfies the movement parameter in response todetecting lift-off, the device preserves computing resources and onlyuses them to make this determination when the determination isimmediately needed. In this way, operability of these devices isenhanced and the human-machine interfaces on these devices operates moreefficiently (e.g., by avoiding wasting resources by makingdeterminations before they are needed).

(A3) In some embodiments of the method of A2, the method also includes:determining that movement of the second extended contact across thetouch-sensitive display prior to the lift-off does not satisfy themovement parameter and, in response, ceasing to operate the portion ofthe touch-sensitive display as the trackpad.

Ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that movement prior to the lift-off doesnot satisfy the movement parameter ensures that the trackpad mode isinvoked only as long as the user needs it. By ensuring that the trackpadmode is invoked only as long as the user needs it, operability of thedevice is enhanced and the human-machine interfaces on this deviceoperates more efficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user is presentedwith the interface controls that they need and avoiding having userswaste time trying to find the interface controls that they need).

(A4) In some embodiments of the method of A3, the determining thatmovement of the second extended contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay prior to the lift-off does not satisfy the movement parameterincludes determining that the second extended contact moved less than apredetermined distance across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off.

Ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that the second extended contact movedless than a predetermined distance across the touch-sensitive displayprior to the lift-off ensures that the trackpad mode is invoked only aslong as the user needs it. If the user moved the second extended contacta very short distance (or no distance at all), then this is anindication that the user has placed the cursor in a desired position andno longer needs to use the trackpad mode (or, when the contact moves nodistance at all, this is an indication that the user accidentallyinvoked the trackpad mode). By ensuring that the trackpad mode isinvoked only as long as the user needs it, operability of the device isenhanced and the human-machine interfaces on this device operates moreefficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user is presented with theinterface controls that they need and avoiding having users waste timetrying to find the interface controls that they need).

(A5) In some embodiments of the method of A3, the determining thatmovement of the second extended contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay prior to the lift-off does not satisfy the movement parameterincludes determining that the second extended contact moved at less thana predetermined speed across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off.

Ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that the second extended contact moved atless than a predetermined speed across the touch-sensitive display priorto the lift-off ensures that the trackpad mode is invoked only as longas the user needs it. If the user moved the second extended contact aslow speed, then this is an indication that the user has placed thecursor in a desired position and no longer needs to use the trackpadmode. By ensuring that the trackpad mode is invoked only as long as theuser needs it, operability of the device is enhanced and thehuman-machine interfaces on this device operates more efficiently (e.g.,by ensuring that the user is presented with the interface controls thatthey need and avoiding having users waste time trying to find theinterface controls that they need).

(A6) In some embodiments of the method of A2, the method includes:determining that movement of the second extended contact across thetouch-sensitive display prior to the lift-off satisfies the movementparameter and, in response, continuing to operate the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad for at least a predeterminedamount of time.

Continuing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that the second extended contactsatisfies the movement parameter ensures that the trackpad mode isinvoked as long as the user needs it. If the user moved the secondextended contact in a downward direction or at a quicker speed, thenthis is an indication that the user's lift-off of the second extendedcontact was done to allow the user to reposition their finger in orderto continue moving the cursor (e.g., if they moved in a downwarddirection, they could run out of space and will need to lift-off toreposition their finger for continued movement of the cursor). Byensuring that the trackpad mode is invoked as long as the user needs itand without interrupting the user's movement of the cursor, operabilityof the device is enhanced and the human-machine interfaces on thisdevice operates more efficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user ispresented with the interface controls that they need and avoiding havingusers waste time trying to find the interface controls that they need).

(A7) In some embodiments of the method of any one of A1-A6, the methodincludes: continuing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as the trackpad for at least a predetermined amount of time(e.g., 0.5 seconds) after detecting a lift-off of the second extendedcontact from the touch-sensitive display.

(A8) In some embodiments of the method of A7, the trackpad is invokedafter the second extended contact has remained in contact with thetouch-sensitive display for at least a second predetermined amount oftime; and the second predetermined amount of time is less than thepredetermined amount of time.

(A9) In some embodiments of the method of any one of A7-A8, the methodincludes: in accordance with a determination that no input is detectedover the portion of the touch-sensitive display for the predeterminedamount of time after detecting the lift-off of the second extendedcontact, ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive displayas the trackpad.

(A10) In some embodiments of the method of any of A6 or A7, the methodincludes: detecting a double-tap input on the touch-sensitive displaywhile operating the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad, the double-tap input being detected within a certain amount oftime after detecting the lift-off of the second extended contact; and,in response to detecting the double-tap input, selecting an object thatis displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

Allowing users to perform a double-tap input to select an object ensuresthat the users are able to select objects (e.g., text, images, multiplewords, or a combination of both) while in the trackpad mode. By ensuringthat the trackpad mode allows for selection of objects, operability ofthe device is enhanced and sustained interactions with the device arethen created.

(A11) In some embodiments of the method of A10, the method includes:detecting a drag gesture after the double-tap input and, in response,selecting more of the object as the drag gesture moves.

Allowing users to perform a drag gesture after a double-tap input toselect more (or less) of an object ensures that the users are able toselect only those portions of the object that they would like to select(e.g., portions of text, images, or a combination of both) while in thetrackpad mode. By ensuring that the trackpad mode allows forfine-grained selection of objects, operability of the device is enhancedand sustained interactions with the device are then created.

(A12) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A11, an extendedcontact (or a momentary contact) over any of the respective displayedrepresentations of the other keys causes activation of a correspondingextended keyboard function and does not cause the electronic device tooperate any portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad.

(A13) In some embodiments of the method of A12, the virtual keyboard isdisplayed in an area of the touch-sensitive display and each of thedisplayed representations of the other keys includes a respectivedisplayed symbol, and operating at least the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad, includes (i) operating the areaas part of the trackpad and (ii) ceasing to display at least some of thedisplayed symbols of the virtual keyboard.

Operating a same area of the display that was used for the virtualkeyboard as the trackpad allows users to immediately begin using thetrackpad without having to relocate/reposition their finger afterinvoking the trackpad, instead they simply begin moving their finger asdesired to move a cursor and/or to select objects (e.g., using thedouble-tap and double-tap-and-drag gestures discussed above).Additionally, ceasing to display at least some of the displayed symbolsof the virtual keyboard provides users with a clear visual indicationthat trackpad mode has been invoked. By providing these features,operability of the device is enhanced and sustained interactions withthe device are then created (e.g., users do not need to waste time withfinger repositioning and will not be confused as to when the trackpadhas been invoked, thereby allowing for the sustained interactions withthe device).

(A14) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A13, the methodincludes: detecting a third extended contact over a part of the virtualkeyboard below the displayed representation of the spacebar key, wherethe part of the virtual keyboard does not include any of the other keys;and in accordance with a determination that the third extended contactis over the part of the virtual keyboard, interpreting the thirdextended contact as a mode-switching input that causes the electronicdevice to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitive display as atrackpad.

(A15) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A14, whileoperating as the trackpad, any input at the touch-sensitive display overat least the portion controls movement of a cursor that is displayed inanother portion of the touch-sensitive display.

(A16) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A15, at least someof the other keys of the virtual keyboard is respectively associatedwith a corresponding keyboard function that is activated in response toa momentary contact over the key and with a corresponding extendedkeyboard function that is activated in response to an extended contactover the key.

(A17) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A16, the first andsecond extended contacts last for at least anextended-contact-detection-time threshold.

(A18) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A17, hapticfeedback is provided in conjunction with invoking operation of theportion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad.

(A19) In some embodiments of the method of any of A1-A18, the displayedvirtual keyboard does not include a function (fn) key.

(A20) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storingexecutable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors ofan electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, wherein theelectronic device is not coupled with any force sensors, cause theelectronic device to perform the method of any one of claims A1-A19.

(A21) An electronic device, that includes one or more processors; atouch-sensitive display; and memory storing one or more programs thatare configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one ormore programs include instructions for performing the method of any oneof A1-A19, and the electronic device is not coupled with any forcesensors.

(A22) An electronic device with a touch-sensitive secondary display,wherein the electronic device is not coupled with any force sensors andthe electronic device comprises: means for performing the method of anyone of A1-A19.

(A23) An information processing apparatus for use in an electronicdevice that includes a touch-sensitive secondary display, wherein theelectronic device is not coupled with any force sensors, the informationprocessing apparatus comprising: means for performing the method of anyone of A1-A19.

(A24) A graphical user interface for an electronic device with one ormore processors, memory, and a touch-sensitive secondary display,wherein the electronic device is not coupled with any force sensors, andthe one or more processors execute one or more programs stored in thememory, the graphical user interface comprising user interfacesdisplayed in accordance with any one of the methods of A1-A19.

(A25) An electronic device that includes a touch-sensitive displaycoupled with a plurality of touch sensors, wherein the touch-sensitivedisplay is not coupled with any force sensors, the electronic devicealso including memory and one or more processors coupled with theplurality of touch sensors and the touch-sensitive display, the memoryincluding executable instructions that, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the electronic device to: display a virtual keyboardon the touch-sensitive display, the virtual keyboard including displayedrepresentations of a spacebar key and other keys; detect an extendedcontact at the touch-sensitive display; in accordance with adetermination that the extended contact is over any of the respectivedisplayed representations of the other keys, interpret the extendedcontact as a keyboard input and activate a corresponding keyboardfunction; and in accordance with a determination that the extendedcontact is over a respective displayed representation of the spacebarkey, interpret the extended contact as a mode-switching input thatcauses the electronic device to operate at least a portion of thetouch-sensitive display as a trackpad.

(A26) In some embodiments of the electronic device of A25, theexecutable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors,also cause the electronic device to perform the method of any one ofA1-A19.

In another aspect, methods, devices, and other components forimplementing the single-finger roll/tip-to-print gesture are alsoprovided.

(B1) In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at anelectronic device that includes a touch-sensitive display coupled with aplurality of touch sensors, and the touch-sensitive display is notcoupled with any force sensors. The method includes: displaying avirtual keyboard on the touch-sensitive display; detecting an outputfrom at least one of the plurality of touch sensors, the outputindicating a contact with the touch-sensitive display over at least partof the virtual keyboard, where the contact comprises an area of thetouch-sensitive display that has a centroid; detecting a change in theoutput from at least one of the plurality of touch sensors, the changein the output indicating that the area of the contact has expanded andthe centroid has moved; and in accordance with detecting the change,operating at least a portion of the touch-sensitive display as atrackpad and ceasing to operate the virtual keyboard.

Allowing a user to roll a single finger over the virtual keyboard tothen operate the electronic device as a trackpad affords the user with aconvenient way to quickly switch from a keyboard-input mode and to atrackpad mode using only a single finger; and detecting that roll bymonitoring both expansion of the area and movement of the centroidensures that the gesture is accurately detected and is not confused withother types of gestures. Providing this interaction at electronicdevices that do not include force sensors enhances operability of thesedevices and makes the human-machine interfaces on these devices moreefficient (e.g., by allowing users to easily switch to a trackpad modeusing a simple gesture without have to waste time trying to place acursor without using a trackpad mode or having to waste time using acomplicated sequence of user inputs or menu options to activate thetrackpad mode).

(B2) In some embodiments of the method of B1, the output and the changein the output are detected based at least in part on capacitance signalsregistered by at least one of the plurality of touch sensors.

Detecting the output and the change in the output based at least in parton capacitance signals helps to ensure that the gesture is accuratelydetected and is not confused with other types of gestures, and enablesdevices that do not include force sensors to accurately detected newgesture types, such as the roll/tip-to-print gesture discussed herein.Providing this accurate detection at electronic devices that do notinclude force sensors enhances operability of these devices and makesthe human-machine interfaces on these devices more efficient (e.g., byallowing users to easily switch to a trackpad mode using a simplegesture without have to waste time trying to place a cursor withoutusing a trackpad mode or having to waste time using a complicatedsequence of user inputs or menu options to activate the trackpad mode).

(B3) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B2, the change inthe output is detected based on one or more of: (i) a velocity ofmovement of the centroid; (ii) change in size of the area; (iii) asaturation level of at least one of the plurality of touch sensors; and(iv) a calculated angle of a user's finger making the contact relativeto the touch-sensitive display.

(B4) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B2, the change inthe output is further detected based on a velocity of movement of thecentroid.

(B5) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B2 or B4, the changein the output is further detected based on a change in size of the area.

(B6) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B2 or B4-B5, thechange in the output is further detected based on a saturation level ofat least one of the plurality of touch sensors.

(B7) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B2 or B4-B6, thechange in the output is further detected based on a calculated angle ofa user's finger making the contact relative to the touch-sensitivedisplay.

(B8) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B7, the methodincludes providing, by the electronic device, haptic feedback inconjunction with invoking operation of the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad.

Monitoring the other pieces of data discussed above (in B3-B8) to detectthe output and the change in the output helps to ensure that the gestureis accurately detected and is not confused with other types of gestures,and enables devices that do not include force sensors to accuratelydetected new gesture types, such as the roll/tip-to-print gesturediscussed herein. Adding on the monitoring of these other pieces of datahelps to improve accuracy of detecting this new gesture at electronicdevices that do not include force sensors, thereby enhancing operabilityof these devices and making the human-machine interfaces on thesedevices more efficient (e.g., by ensuring that the gesture is accuratelydetected, users will not have to waste time reversing activation ofundesired functions).

(B9) In some embodiments of the method of any of B1-B8, text isdisplayed on the touch-sensitive display in an area of thetouch-sensitive display that is adjacent to the displayed virtualkeyboard, a cursor is displayed at a position within the text, and themethod further includes: while continuing to operate the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad: detecting an additional changein the output from at least one of the plurality of touch sensors, thechange in the output indicating that the area of the contact has reducedand the centroid has moved; and in response to detecting the additionalchange in the output, maintaining display of the cursor at the positionwithin the text.

Ensuring that the cursor does not move (e.g., maintains its position) asa user un-rolls their finger over the touch-sensitive display, helps toensure that the cursor is accurately placed based on the user's intent.When the user is just un-rolling their finger, they are doing so beforethey have started moving the cursor. By keeping the cursor in placeduring the un-roll, therefore, operability of the device is enhanced andthe human-machine interface is made to operate more efficiently (e.g.,by ensuring that the user need not waste time reversing unintendedcursor movements).

(B10) In some embodiments of the method of B9, after detecting theadditional change and while continuing to operate the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad, movement of the contact acrossthe touch-sensitive display causes the cursor to move to differentpositions within the text.

(B11) In some embodiments of the method of B9, the method includes:while continuing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive displayas the trackpad: detecting one more change in the output from at leastone of the plurality of touch sensors, the one more change indicatingthat the area of the contact has expanded and the centroid has moved;and in response to detecting the one more change, selecting at least apart of the text.

(B12) In some embodiments of the method of B11, the method includes:detecting a lift-off of the contact from the touch-sensitive displayand, in response, ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as the trackpad.

(B13) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storingexecutable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors ofan electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, wherein theelectronic device is not coupled with any force sensors, cause theelectronic device to perform the method of any one of claims B1-B12.

(B14) An electronic device, that includes one or more processors; atouch-sensitive display; and memory storing one or more programs thatare configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one ormore programs include instructions for performing the method of any oneof B1-B12, and the electronic device is not coupled with any forcesensors.

(B15) An electronic device with a touch-sensitive secondary display,wherein the electronic device is not coupled with any force sensors andthe electronic device comprises: means for performing the method of anyone of B1-B12.

(B16) An information processing apparatus for use in an electronicdevice that includes a touch-sensitive secondary display, wherein theelectronic device is not coupled with any force sensors, the informationprocessing apparatus comprising: means for performing the method of anyone of B1-B12.

(B17) A graphical user interface for an electronic device with one ormore processors, memory, and a touch-sensitive secondary display,wherein the electronic device is not coupled with any force sensors, andthe one or more processors execute one or more programs stored in thememory, the graphical user interface comprising user interfacesdisplayed in accordance with any one of the methods of B1-B12.

Note that the various embodiments described above can be combined withany other embodiments described herein. The features and advantagesdescribed in the specification are not all inclusive and, in particular,many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, andclaims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in thespecification has been principally selected for readability andinstructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate orcircumscribe the inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various described embodiments,reference should be made to the Description of Embodiments below, inconjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numeralsrefer to corresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1A is a high-level block diagram of a computing device with atouch-sensitive display, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of example components for event handling, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a portable multifunction device havinga touch screen (also referred to interchangeably herein as a“touch-sensitive display”), in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2B illustrates an example user interface for a multifunction devicewith a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the display inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a touch screen used to illustrate a userinterface for a menu of applications, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of activating a trackpadmode using an extended contact over a virtual keyboard, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIGS. 5A-1 to 5K-6 illustrate example user interfaces for activating atrackpad mode using an extended contact over a virtual keyboard (e.g.,over a displayed representation of a spacebar key), in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6F are flowcharts illustrating a method of activating atrackpad mode using an extended contact over a virtual keyboard, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of activating a trackpadmode using a single-finger roll gesture, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 8A-1 to 8F illustrate example user interfaces for activating atouchpad mode using a single-finger roll gesture, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIGS. 9A-9D are flowcharts illustrating a method of activating atouchpad mode using a single-finger roll gesture, in accordance withsome embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1A-1B, 2A-2B, and 3 show example devices and systems on which themethods and techniques described herein can be implemented.

FIGS. 5A-1 to 5K-6 are schematics of a display used to illustrateexample user interfaces for using an extended contact over a virtualkeyboard to activate a trackpad on an electronic device with atouch-sensitive display and no force sensors, in accordance with someembodiments. FIGS. 4 and 6A-6F are flowcharts of methods of using anextended contact over a virtual keyboard to activate a trackpad on anelectronic device with a touch-sensitive display and no force sensors,in accordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces in FIGS. 5A-1to 5K-6 are used to illustrate the methods and/or processes in FIGS. 4and 6A-6F.

FIGS. 8A-1 to 8F illustrate example user interfaces for activating atouchpad mode using a single-finger roll gesture, in accordance withsome embodiments. FIGS. 7 and 9A-9D are flowcharts of methods ofactivating a touchpad mode using a single-finger roll gesture, inaccordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces in FIGS. 8A-1 to8F are used to illustrate the methods and/or processes in FIGS. 7 and9A-9D.

Example Devices and Systems

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detaileddescription, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the various described embodiments. However,it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the variousdescribed embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components,circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not tounnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.are, in some instances, used herein to describe various elements, theseelements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only usedto distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contactcould be termed a second contact, and, similarly, a second contact couldbe termed a first contact, without departing from the scope of thevarious described embodiments. The first contact and the second contactare both contacts, but they are not the same contact.

The terminology used in the description of the various describedembodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in thedescription of the various described embodiments and the appendedclaims, the singular forms “a”, “an,” and “the” are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as usedherein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations ofone or more of the associated listed items. It will be furtherunderstood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or“comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofstated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof.

As used herein, the term “if” is, optionally, construed to mean “when”or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,”depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or“if [a stated condition or event] is detected” is, optionally, construedto mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upondetecting [the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting[the stated condition or event],” depending on the context.

The disclosure herein interchangeably refers to detecting a touch inputon, at, over, on top of, or substantially within a particular userinterface element or a particular portion of a touch-sensitive display.As used herein, a touch input that is detected “at” a particular userinterface element could also be detected “on,” “over,” “on top of,” or“substantially within” that same user interface element, depending onthe context. In some embodiments and as discussed in more detail below,desired sensitivity levels for detecting touch inputs are configured bya user of an electronic device (e.g., the user could decide (andconfigure the electronic device to operate) that a touch input shouldonly be detected when the touch input is completely within a userinterface element).

Embodiments of electronic devices, user interfaces for such devices, andassociated processes for using such devices are described. In someembodiments, the device is a portable communications device, such as amobile telephone, that also contains other functions, such as PDA and/ormusic player functions. Example embodiments of portable multifunctiondevices include, without limitation, the IPHONE®, IPOD TOUCH®, and IPAD®devices from APPLE Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other portable electronicdevices, such as laptops or tablet computers with touch-sensitivesurfaces (e.g., touch-sensitive displays and/or touch pads), are,optionally, used. It should also be understood that, in someembodiments, the device is not a portable communications device, but isa desktop computer with a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., atouch-sensitive display and/or a touch pad).

In the discussion that follows, an electronic device that includes adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface is described. It should beunderstood, however, that the electronic device optionally includes oneor more other physical user-interface devices, such as a physicalkeyboard, a mouse and/or a joystick.

The device typically supports a variety of applications, such as one ormore of the following: a drawing application, a presentationapplication, a word processing application, a website creationapplication, a disk authoring application, a spreadsheet application, agaming application, a telephone application, a video conferencingapplication, an e-mail application, an instant messaging application, ahealth/fitness application, a photo management application, a digitalcamera application, a digital video camera application, a web browsingapplication, a digital music player application, and/or a digital videoplayer application.

The various applications that are executed on the device optionally useat least one common physical user-interface device, such as thetouch-sensitive surface. One or more functions of the touch-sensitivesurface as well as corresponding information displayed on the deviceare, optionally, adjusted and/or varied from one application to the nextand/or within a respective application. In this way, a common physicalarchitecture (such as the touch-sensitive surface) of the deviceoptionally supports the variety of applications with user interfacesthat are intuitive and transparent to the user.

Attention is now directed toward embodiments of portable electronicdevices with touch-sensitive displays. FIG. 1A is a block diagramillustrating portable multifunction device 100 (also referred tointerchangeably herein as electronic device 100 or device 100) withtouch-sensitive display 112 in accordance with some embodiments.Touch-sensitive display 112 is sometimes called a “touch screen” forconvenience, and is sometimes known as or called a touch-sensitivedisplay system. Device 100 includes memory 102 (which optionallyincludes one or more computer-readable storage mediums), controller 120,one or more processing units (CPU's) 122, peripherals interface 118, RFcircuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, microphone 113,input/output (I/O) subsystem 106, other input or control devices 116,and external port 124. Device 100 optionally includes one or moreoptical sensors 164. Device 100 optionally includes one or more tactileoutput generators 167 for generating tactile outputs on device 100(e.g., generating tactile outputs on a touch-sensitive surface such astouch-sensitive display system 112 of device 100 or a touchpad of device100). These components optionally communicate over one or morecommunication buses or signal lines 103.

As used in the specification and claims, the term “tactile output”refers to physical displacement of a device relative to a previousposition of the device, physical displacement of a component (e.g., atouch-sensitive surface) of a device relative to another component(e.g., housing) of the device, or displacement of the component relativeto a center of mass of the device that will be detected by a user withthe user's sense of touch. For example, in situations where the deviceor the component of the device is in contact with a surface of a userthat is sensitive to touch (e.g., a finger, palm, or other part of auser's hand), the tactile output generated by the physical displacementwill be interpreted by the user as a tactile sensation corresponding toa perceived change in physical characteristics of the device or thecomponent of the device. For example, movement of a touch-sensitivesurface (e.g., a touch-sensitive display or trackpad) is, optionally,interpreted by the user as a “down click” or “up click” of a physicalactuator button. In some cases, a user will feel a tactile sensationsuch as an “down click” or “up click” even when there is no movement ofa physical actuator button associated with the touch-sensitive surfacethat is physically pressed (e.g., displaced) by the user's movements. Asanother example, movement of the touch-sensitive surface is, optionally,interpreted or sensed by the user as “roughness” of the touch-sensitivesurface, even when there is no change in smoothness of thetouch-sensitive surface. While such interpretations of touch by a userwill be subject to the individualized sensory perceptions of the user,there are many sensory perceptions of touch that are common to a largemajority of users. Thus, when a tactile output is described ascorresponding to a particular sensory perception of a user (e.g., an “upclick,” a “down click,” “roughness”), unless otherwise stated, thegenerated tactile output corresponds to physical displacement of thedevice or a component thereof that will generate the described sensoryperception for a typical (or average) user.

It should be appreciated that device 100 is only one example of aportable multifunction device, and that device 100 optionally has moreor fewer components than shown, optionally combines two or morecomponents, or optionally has a different configuration or arrangementof the components. The various components shown in FIG. 1A areimplemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware andsoftware, including one or more signal processing and/or applicationspecific integrated circuits.

Memory 102 optionally includes high-speed random access memory (e.g.,DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices)and optionally also includes non-volatile memory, such as one or moremagnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or othernon-volatile solid-state memory devices. Memory 102 optionally includesone or more storage devices remotely located from processor(s) 122.Access to memory 102 by other components of device 100, such as CPU 122and the peripherals interface 118, is, optionally, controlled bycontroller 120.

Peripherals interface 118 can be used to couple input and outputperipherals of the device to CPU 122 and memory 102. The one or moreprocessors 122 run or execute various software programs and/or sets ofinstructions stored in memory 102 to perform various functions fordevice 100 and to process data.

In some embodiments, peripherals interface 118, CPU 122, and controller120 are, optionally, implemented on a single chip, such as chip 104. Insome other embodiments, they are, optionally, implemented on separatechips.

RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF signals, alsocalled electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108 converts electricalsignals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates withcommunications networks and other communications devices via theelectromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108 optionally includes well-knowncircuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited toan antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner,one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, asubscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. RFcircuitry 108 optionally communicates with networks, such as theInternet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranetand/or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, awireless local area network (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network(MAN), and other devices by wireless communication. The wirelesscommunication optionally uses any of a plurality of communicationsstandards, protocols and technologies, including but not limited toGlobal System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSMEnvironment (EDGE), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA),high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), Evolution, Data-Only (EV-DO),HSPA, HSPA+, Dual-Cell HSPA (DC-HSPDA), long term evolution (LTE), nearfield communication (NFC), wideband code division multiple access(W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multipleaccess (TDMA), Bluetooth, and/or Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE802.1 1 a, IEEE 802.1 1b, IEEE 802.11 g and/or IEEE 802.1 1 n).

Audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, and microphone 113 provide an audiointerface between a user and device 100. Audio circuitry 110 receivesaudio data from peripherals interface 118, converts the audio data to anelectrical signal, and transmits the electrical signal to speaker 111.Speaker 111 converts the electrical signal to human-audible sound waves.Audio circuitry 110 also receives electrical signals converted bymicrophone 113 from sound waves. Audio circuitry 110 converts theelectrical signal to audio data and transmits the audio data toperipherals interface 118 for processing. Audio data is, optionally,retrieved from and/or transmitted to memory 102 and/or RF circuitry 108by peripherals interface 118. In some embodiments, audio circuitry 110also includes a headset jack. The headset jack provides an interfacebetween audio circuitry 110 and removable audio input/outputperipherals, such as output-only headphones or a headset with bothoutput (e.g., a headphone for one or both ears) and input (e.g., amicrophone).

I/O subsystem 106 connects input/output peripherals on device 100, suchas touch screen 112 and other input control devices 116, to peripheralsinterface 118. I/O subsystem 106 optionally includes display controller156, optical sensor controller 158, haptic feedback controller 161, andone or more input controllers 160 for other input or control devices.The one or more input controllers 160 receive/send electrical signalsfrom/to other input or control devices 116. The other input controldevices 116 optionally include physical buttons (e.g., push buttons,rocker buttons, etc.), dials, slider switches, joysticks, click wheels,and so forth. In some alternate embodiments, input controller(s) 160are, optionally, coupled to any (or none) of the following: a keyboard,infrared port, USB port, and a pointer device such as a mouse. The oneor more buttons optionally include an up/down button for volume controlof speaker 111 and/or microphone 113. The one or more buttons optionallyinclude a push button.

Touch-sensitive display 112 provides an input interface and an outputinterface between the device and a user. Display controller 156 receivesand/or sends electrical signals from/to touch screen 112. Touch screen112 displays visual output to the user. The visual output optionallyincludes graphics, text, icons, video, and any combination thereof(collectively termed “graphics”). In some embodiments, some or all ofthe visual output corresponds to user-interface objects.

Touch screen 112 has a touch-sensitive surface, a sensor or a set ofsensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactilecontact. Touch screen 112 and display controller 156 (along with anyassociated modules and/or sets of instructions in memory 102) detectcontact (and any movement or breaking of the contact) on touch screen112 and convert the detected contact into interaction withuser-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages orimages) that are displayed on touch screen 112. In an exampleembodiment, a point of contact between touch screen 112 and the usercorresponds to an area under a finger of the user.

Touch screen 112 optionally uses LCD (liquid crystal display)technology, LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, or LED(light emitting diode) technology, or OLED (organic light emittingdiode) technology, although other display technologies are used in otherembodiments. Touch screen 112 and display controller 156 optionallydetect contact and any movement or breaking thereof using any of aplurality of touch sensing technologies now known or later developed,including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, andsurface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensorarrays or other elements for determining one or more points of contactwith touch screen 112. In an example embodiment, projected mutualcapacitance sensing technology is used, such as that found in theIPHONE®, IPOD TOUCH®, and IPAD® from APPLE Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.

Touch screen 112 optionally has a video resolution in excess of 400 dpi.In some embodiments, touch screen 112 has a video resolution of at least600 dpi. In other embodiments, touch screen 112 has a video resolutionof at least 1000 dpi. The user optionally makes contact with touchscreen 112 using any suitable object or digit, such as a stylus or afinger. In some embodiments, the user interface is designed to workprimarily with finger-based contacts and gestures. In some embodiments,the device translates the finger-based input into a precisepointer/cursor position or command for performing the actions desired bythe user.

In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, device 100optionally includes a touchpad (not shown) for activating ordeactivating particular functions. In some embodiments, the touchpad isa touch-sensitive area of the device that, unlike the touch screen, doesnot display visual output. The touchpad is, optionally, atouch-sensitive surface that is separate from touch screen 112 or anextension of the touch-sensitive surface formed by the touch screen.

Device 100 also includes power system 162 for powering the variouscomponents. Power system 162 optionally includes a power managementsystem, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current(AC)), a recharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a powerconverter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emittingdiode (LED)), and any other components associated with the generation,management and distribution of power in portable devices.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more optical sensors 164.FIG. 1A shows an optical sensor coupled to optical sensor controller 158in I/O subsystem 106. Optical sensor 164 optionally includescharge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor(CMOS) phototransistors. Optical sensor 164 receives light from theenvironment, projected through one or more lenses, and converts thelight to data representing an image. In conjunction with imaging module143 (also called a camera module), optical sensor 164 optionallycaptures still images or video. In some embodiments, an optical sensoris located on the back of device 100, opposite touch screen 112 on thefront of the device, so that the touch-sensitive display is enabled foruse as a viewfinder for still and/or video image acquisition. In someembodiments, another optical sensor is located on the front of thedevice so that the user's image is, optionally, obtained forvideoconferencing while the user views the other video conferenceparticipants on the touch-sensitive display.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more proximity sensors 166.FIG. 1A shows proximity sensor 166 coupled to peripherals interface 118.Alternately, proximity sensor 166 is coupled to input controller 160 in1/0 subsystem 106. In some embodiments, the proximity sensor turns offand disables touch screen 112 when the multifunction device is placednear the user's ear (e.g., when the user is making a phone call).

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more tactile outputgenerators 167. FIG. 1A shows a tactile output generator coupled tohaptic feedback controller 161 in I/O subsystem 106. Tactile outputgenerator 167 optionally includes one or more electroacoustic devicessuch as speakers or other audio components and/or electromechanicaldevices that convert energy into linear motion such as a motor,solenoid, electroactive polymer, piezoelectric actuator, electrostaticactuator, or other tactile output generating component (e.g., acomponent that converts electrical signals into tactile outputs on thedevice). In some embodiments, at least one tactile output generator iscollocated with, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive surface (e.g.,touch-sensitive display system 112) and, optionally, generates a tactileoutput by moving the touch-sensitive surface vertically (e.g., in/out ofa surface of device 100) or laterally (e.g., back and forth in the sameplane as a surface of device 100). In some embodiments, at least onetactile output generator sensor is located on the back of device 100,opposite touch-sensitive display 112 which is located on the front ofdevice 100.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more accelerometers 168. FIG.1A shows accelerometer 168 coupled to peripherals interface 118.Alternately, accelerometer 168 is, optionally, coupled to an inputcontroller 160 in I/O subsystem 106. In some embodiments, information isdisplayed on the touch-sensitive display in a portrait view or alandscape view based on an analysis of data received from the one ormore accelerometers. Device 100 optionally includes, in addition toaccelerometer(s) 168, a magnetometer (not shown) and a GPS (or GLONASSor other global navigation system) receiver (not shown) for obtaininginformation concerning the location and orientation (e.g., portrait orlandscape) of device 100.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102include operating system 126, proactive module 163 (optionally includingone or more of keyboard module 163-1, trackpad module 163-2, inputswitching module 163-3 (e.g., keyboard to trackpad, or trackpad tokeyboard), communication module (or set of instructions) 128,contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130, graphics module (orset of instructions) 132, text input module (or set of instructions)134, Global Positioning System (GPS) module (or set of instructions)135, and applications (or sets of instructions) 136. Furthermore, insome embodiments memory 102 stores device/global internal state 157, asshown in FIG. 1A. Device/global internal state 157 includes one or moreof: active application state, indicating which applications, if any, arecurrently active; display state, indicating what applications, views orother information occupy various regions of touch-sensitive display 112;sensor state, including information obtained from the device's varioussensors and input control devices 116; and location informationconcerning the device's location and/or attitude (e.g., orientation ofthe device).

Operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X, WINDOWS, oran embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includes various softwarecomponents and/or drivers for controlling and managing general systemtasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control, powermanagement, etc.) and facilitates communication between various hardwareand software components.

Communication module 128 facilitates communication with other devicesover one or more external ports 124 and also includes various softwarecomponents for handling data received by RF circuitry 108 and/orexternal port 124. External port 124 (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB),FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly to other devices orindirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). Insome embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g., 30-pin)connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatible with the30-pin connector used on some embodiments of IPOD devices from APPLEInc. In other embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g.,8-pin) connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatiblewith the 8-pin connector used in LIGHTNING connectors from APPLE Inc.

Contact/motion module 130 optionally detects contact with touch screen112 (in conjunction with display controller 156) and other touchsensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel).Contact/motion module 130 includes various software components forperforming various operations related to detection of contact, such asdetermining if contact has occurred (e.g., detecting a finger-downevent), determining if the contact is extended (e.g., detecting a timeof the finger-down event), determining if there is movement of thecontact and tracking the movement across the touch-sensitive surface(e.g., detecting one or more finger-dragging events), and determining ifthe contact has ceased (e.g., detecting a finger-up event, a break incontact, or a finger lift-off event). Contact/motion module 130 receivescontact data from the touch-sensitive surface. Determining movement ofthe point of contact, which is represented by a series of contact data,optionally includes determining speed (magnitude), velocity (magnitudeand direction), and/or an acceleration (a change in magnitude and/ordirection) of the point of contact. These operations are, optionally,applied to single contacts (e.g., one finger contacts) or to multiplesimultaneous contacts (e.g., “multitouch”/multiple finger contacts). Insome embodiments, contact/motion module 130 and display controller 156detect contact on a touchpad.

Contact/motion module 130 optionally detects a gesture input by a user.Different gestures on the touch-sensitive surface have different contactpatterns (e.g., different motions, timings, and/or intensities ofdetected contacts). Thus, a gesture is, optionally, detected bydetecting a particular contact pattern. For example, detecting a fingertap gesture includes detecting a finger-down event followed by detectinga finger-up (lift-off) event at the same position (or substantially thesame position) as the finger-down event (e.g., at the position of anicon). As another example, detecting a finger swipe gesture on thetouch-sensitive surface includes detecting a finger-down event followedby detecting one or more finger-dragging events, and, in someembodiments, subsequently followed by detecting a finger-up (lift-off)event. In yet another example, detecting a finger roll gesture on thetouch-sensitive surface includes detecting a fingertip-down event,followed by detecting continuous increasing of a contact area betweenthe finger and the touch-sensitive surface, and further followed bydetecting a fingerprint contact with the touch-sensitive surface.Similarly, tap, swipe, drag, roll, and other gestures are optionallydetected for a stylus by detecting a particular contact pattern for thestylus.

Graphics module 132 includes various known software components forrendering and displaying graphics on touch screen 112 or other display,including components for changing the visual impact (e.g., brightness,transparency, saturation, contrast, or other visual property) ofgraphics that are displayed. As used herein, the term “graphics”includes any object that can be displayed to a user, including withoutlimitation text, web pages, icons (such as user-interface objectsincluding soft keys), digital images, videos, animations and the like.

In some embodiments, graphics module 132 stores data representinggraphics to be used. Each graphic is, optionally, assigned acorresponding code. Graphics module 132 receives, from applicationsetc., one or more codes specifying graphics to be displayed along with,if necessary, coordinating data and other graphic property data, andthen generates screen image data to output to display controller 156.

Haptic feedback module 133 includes various software components forgenerating instructions used by tactile output generator(s) 167 toproduce tactile outputs at one or more locations on device 100 inresponse to user interactions with device 100.

Text input module 134, which is, optionally, a component of graphicsmodule 132, provides soft keyboards for entering text in variousapplications (e.g., contacts module 137, e-mail client module 140, IMmodule 141, browser module 147, and any other application that needstext input).

GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and provides thisinformation for use in various applications (e.g., to telephone 138 foruse in location-based dialing, to camera 143 as picture/video metadata,and to applications that provide location-based services such as weatherwidgets, local yellow page widgets, and map/navigation widgets).

Applications (“apps”) 136 optionally include the following modules (orsets of instructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or contact        list);    -   telephone module 138;    -   video conferencing module 139;    -   e-mail client module 140;    -   instant messaging (IM) module 141;    -   health module 142;    -   camera module 143 for still and/or video images;    -   image management module 144;    -   browser module 147;    -   calendar module 148;    -   widget modules 149, which optionally include one or more of:        weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget        149-3, alarm clock widget 149-4, dictionary widget 149-5, and        other widgets obtained or created by the user (149-6);    -   search module 151;    -   video and music player module 152, which is, optionally, made up        of a video player module and a music player module;    -   notes module 153;    -   map module 154; and/or    -   online video module 155.

Examples of other applications 136 that are, optionally, stored inmemory 102 include other word processing applications, other imageediting applications, drawing applications, presentation applications,website creation applications, disk authoring applications, spreadsheetapplications, JAVA-enabled applications, encryption, digital rightsmanagement, voice recognition, widget creator module for makinguser-created widgets 149-6, and voice replication.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, contactsmodule 137 is, optionally, used to manage an address book or contactlist (e.g., stored in contacts module 137 in memory 102 or memory 370),including: adding name(s) to the address book; deleting name(s) from theaddress book; associating telephone number(s), e-mail address(es),physical address(es) or other information with a name; associating animage with a name; categorizing and sorting names; providing telephonenumbers or e-mail addresses to initiate and/or facilitate communicationsby telephone module 138, video conference module 139, e-mail clientmodule 140, or IM module 141; and so forth.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, contact module130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, telephone module138 is, optionally, used to enter a sequence of characters correspondingto a telephone number, access one or more telephone numbers in addressbook 137, modify a telephone number that has been entered, dial arespective telephone number, conduct a conversation and disconnect orhang up when the conversation is completed. As noted above, the wirelesscommunication optionally uses any of a plurality of communicationsstandards, protocols and technologies.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, optical sensor164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130, graphics module132, text input module 134, contact list 137, and telephone module 138,videoconferencing module 139 includes executable instructions toinitiate, conduct, and terminate a video conference between a user andone or more other participants in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, e-mail client module 140 includes executable instructions tocreate, send, receive, and manage e-mail in response to userinstructions. In conjunction with image management module 144, e-mailclient module 140 makes it very easy to create and send e-mails withstill or video images taken with camera module 143.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the instant messaging module 141 includes executableinstructions to enter a sequence of characters corresponding to aninstant message, to modify previously entered characters, to transmit arespective instant message (for example, using a Short Message Service(SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) protocol for telephony-basedinstant messages or using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS for Internet-basedinstant messages), to receive instant messages and to view receivedinstant messages. In some embodiments, transmitted and/or receivedinstant messages optionally include graphics, photos, audio files, videofiles, and/or other attachments as are supported in an MMS and/or anEnhanced Messaging Service (EMS). As used herein, “instant messaging”refers to both telephony-based messages (e.g., messages sent using SMSor MMS) and Internet-based messages (e.g., messages sent using XMPP,SIMPLE, or IMPS).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, GPS module 135, map module 154, and video and music playermodule 146, health module 142 includes executable instructions to createworkouts (e.g., with time, distance, and/or calorie burning goals),communicate with workout sensors (sports devices such as a watch or apedometer), receive workout sensor data, calibrate sensors used tomonitor a workout, select and play music for a workout, and display,store and transmit workout data.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, opticalsensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130,graphics module 132, and image management module 144, camera module 143includes executable instructions to capture still images or video(including a video stream) and store them into memory 102, modifycharacteristics of a still image or video, or delete a still image orvideo from memory 102.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, text input module 134, and cameramodule 143, image management module 144 includes executable instructionsto arrange, modify (e.g., edit), or otherwise manipulate, label, delete,present (e.g., in a digital slide show or album), and store still and/orvideo images.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, browser module 147 includes executable instructions tobrowse the Internet in accordance with user instructions, includingsearching, linking to, receiving, and displaying web pages or portionsthereof, as well as attachments and other files linked to web pages.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, e-mail client module 140, and browser module 147, calendarmodule 148 includes executable instructions to create, display, modify,and store calendars and data associated with calendars (e.g., calendarentries, to do lists, etc.) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, widget modules 149 aremini-applications that are, optionally, downloaded and used by a user(e.g., weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget149-3, alarm clock widget 149-4, and dictionary widget 149-5) or createdby the user (e.g., user-created widget 149-6). In some embodiments, awidget includes an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) file, a CSS(Cascading Style Sheets) file, and a JavaScript file. In someembodiments, a widget includes an XML (Extensible Markup Language) fileand a JavaScript file (e.g., Yahoo! Widgets).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, a widget creator module (notpictured) is, optionally, used by a user to create widgets (e.g.,turning a user-specified portion of a web page into a widget).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134,search module 151 includes executable instructions to search for text,music, sound, image, video, and/or other files in memory 102 that matchone or more search criteria (e.g., one or more user-specified searchterms) in accordance with user instructions. In some embodiments, searchmodule 151 further includes executable instructions for displaying asearch entry portion and a predictions portion. In some embodiments, thesearch module 151, in conjunction with proactive module 163, alsopopulates, prior to receiving any user input at the search entryportion, the predictions portion with affordances for suggested orpredicted people, actions within applications, applications, nearbyplaces, and/or news articles.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, and browser module 147, video and music playermodule 152 includes executable instructions that allow the user todownload and play back recorded music and other sound files stored inone or more file formats, such as MP3 or AAC files, and executableinstructions to display, present or otherwise play back videos (e.g., ontouch screen 112 or on an external, connected display via external port124). In some embodiments, device 100 optionally includes thefunctionality of an MP3 player, such as an IPOD from APPLE Inc.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, notes module153 includes executable instructions to create and manage notes, to dolists, and the like in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, GPS module 135, and browser module 147, map module 154 is,optionally, used to receive, display, modify, and store maps and dataassociated with maps (e.g., driving directions; data on stores and otherpoints of interest at or near a particular location; and otherlocation-based data) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, text input module 134, e-mail client module 140,and browser module 147, online video module 155 includes instructionsthat allow the user to access, browse, receive (e.g., by streamingand/or download), play back (e.g., on the touch screen or on anexternal, connected display via external port 124), send an e-mail witha link to a particular online video, and otherwise manage online videosin one or more file formats, such as H.264. In some embodiments, instantmessaging module 141, rather than e-mail client module 140, is used tosend a link to a particular online video.

As pictured in FIG. 1A, portable multifunction device 100 also includesother modules 163 that are used for performing certain keyboard andtrackpad functions, and that allow for switching between keyboard andtrackpad functions. Other modules 163 optionally includes the followingmodules (or sets of instructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   keyboard module 163-1 for receiving user inputs at a displayed        virtual keyboard and determining which keyboard functions to        actuate in response to the user inputs (could be a keyboard        function or an extended keyboard function depending on amount of        time during which a respective input was in contact with the        touch-sensitive display);    -   trackpad module 163-2 for receiving user inputs while at least a        portion of the touch-sensitive display is operating as a        trackpad; and    -   input switching module 163-3 for detecting user inputs that        cause switching between trackpad and keyboard modes (e.g.,        extended contacts discussed below or the tip-to-print/roll        gesture discussed below, each of which cause switching from a        keyboard to a trackpad mode).

Each of the above-identified modules and applications correspond to aset of executable instructions for performing one or more functionsdescribed above and the methods described in this application (e.g., thecomputer-implemented methods and other information processing methodsdescribed herein). These modules (e.g., sets of instructions) need notbe implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, andthus various subsets of these modules are, optionally, combined orotherwise re-arranged in various embodiments. In some embodiments,memory 102 optionally stores a subset of the modules and data structuresidentified above. Furthermore, memory 102 optionally stores additionalmodules and data structures not described above.

In some embodiments, device 100 is a device where operation of apredefined set of functions on the device is performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad. By using a touch screen and/ora touchpad as the primary input control device for operation of device100, the number of physical input control devices (such as push buttons,dials, and the like) on device 100 is, optionally, reduced.

The predefined set of functions that are performed exclusively through atouch screen and/or a touchpad optionally include navigation betweenuser interfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by theuser, navigates device 100 to a main, home, or root menu from any userinterface that is displayed on device 100. In such embodiments, a “menubutton” is implemented using a touchpad. In some other embodiments, themenu button is a physical push button or other physical input controldevice instead of a touchpad.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating example components for eventhandling in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments,memory 102 (in FIG. 1A) includes event sorter 170 (e.g., in operatingsystem 126) and a respective application 136-1 selected from among theapplications 136 of portable multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1A) (e.g.,any of the aforementioned applications stored in memory 102 withapplications 136).

Event sorter 170 receives event information and determines theapplication 136-1 and application view 191 of application 136-1 to whichto deliver the event information. Event sorter 170 includes eventmonitor 171 and event dispatcher module 174. In some embodiments,application 136-1 includes application internal state 192, whichindicates the current application view(s) displayed on touch sensitivedisplay 112 when the application is active or executing. In someembodiments, device/global internal state 157 is used by event sorter170 to determine which application(s) is (are) currently active, andapplication internal state 192 is used by event sorter 170 to determineapplication views 191 to which to deliver event information.

In some embodiments, application internal state 192 includes additionalinformation, such as one or more of: resume information to be used whenapplication 136-1 resumes execution, user interface state informationthat indicates information being displayed or that is ready for displayby application 136-1, a state queue for enabling the user to go back toa prior state or view of application 136-1, and a redo/undo queue ofprevious actions taken by the user.

Event monitor 171 receives event information from peripherals interface118. Event information includes information about a sub-event (e.g., auser touch on touch-sensitive display 112, as part of a multi-touchgesture). Peripherals interface 118 transmits information it receivesfrom I/O subsystem 106 or a sensor, such as proximity sensor 166,accelerometer(s) 168, and/or microphone 113 (through audio circuitry110). Information that peripherals interface 118 receives from I/Osubsystem 106 includes information from touch-sensitive display 112 or atouch-sensitive surface.

In some embodiments, event monitor 171 sends requests to the peripheralsinterface 118 at predetermined intervals. In response, peripheralsinterface 118 transmits event information. In other embodiments,peripherals interface 118 transmits event information only when there isa significant event (e.g., receiving an input above a predeterminednoise threshold and/or for more than a predetermined duration).

In some embodiments, event sorter 170 also includes a hit viewdetermination module 172 and/or an active event recognizer determinationmodule 173.

Hit view determination module 172 provides software procedures fordetermining where a sub-event has taken place within one or more views,when touch sensitive display 112 displays more than one view. Views aremade up of controls and other elements that a user can see on thedisplay.

Another aspect of the user interface associated with an application is aset of views, sometimes herein called application views or userinterface windows, in which information is displayed and touch-basedgestures occur. The application views (of a respective application) inwhich a touch is detected optionally correspond to programmatic levelswithin a programmatic or view hierarchy of the application. For example,the lowest level view in which a touch is detected is, optionally,called the hit view, and the set of events that are recognized as properinputs are, optionally, determined based, at least in part, on the hitview of the initial touch that begins a touch-based gesture.

Hit view determination module 172 receives information related tosub-events of a touch-based gesture. When an application has multipleviews organized in a hierarchy, hit view determination module 172identifies a hit view as the lowest view in the hierarchy which shouldhandle the sub-event. In most circumstances, the hit view is the lowestlevel view in which an initiating sub-event occurs (e.g., the firstsub-event in the sequence of sub-events that form an event or potentialevent). Once the hit view is identified by the hit view determinationmodule, the hit view typically receives all sub-events related to thesame touch or input source for which it was identified as the hit view.

Active event recognizer determination module 173 determines which viewor views within a view hierarchy should receive a particular sequence ofsub-events. In some embodiments, active event recognizer determinationmodule 173 determines that only the hit view should receive a particularsequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, active event recognizerdetermination module 173 determines that all views that include thephysical location of a sub-event are actively involved views, andtherefore determines that all actively involved views should receive aparticular sequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, even if touchsub-events were entirely confined to the area associated with oneparticular view, views higher in the hierarchy would still remain asactively involved views.

Event dispatcher module 174 dispatches the event information to an eventrecognizer (e.g., event recognizer 180). In embodiments including activeevent recognizer determination module 173, event dispatcher module 174delivers the event information to an event recognizer determined byactive event recognizer determination module 173. In some embodiments,event dispatcher module 174 stores in an event queue the eventinformation, which is retrieved by a respective event receiver 182.

In some embodiments, operating system 126 includes event sorter 170.Alternatively, application 136-1 includes event sorter 170. In yet otherembodiments, event sorter 170 is a stand-alone module, or a part ofanother module stored in memory 102, such as contact/motion module 130.

In some embodiments, application 136-1 includes a plurality of eventhandlers 190 and one or more application views 191, each of whichincludes instructions for handling touch events that occur within arespective view of the application's user interface. Each applicationview 191 of the application 136-1 includes one or more event recognizers180. Typically, a respective application view 191 includes a pluralityof event recognizers 180. In other embodiments, one or more of eventrecognizers 180 are part of a separate module, such as a user interfacekit (not shown) or a higher level object from which application 136-1inherits methods and other properties. In some embodiments, a respectiveevent handler 190 includes one or more of: data updater 176, objectupdater 177, GUI updater 178, and/or event data 179 received from eventsorter 170. Event handler 190 optionally utilizes or calls data updater176, object updater 177 or GUI updater 178 to update the applicationinternal state 192. Alternatively, one or more of the application views191 includes one or more respective event handlers 190. Also, in someembodiments, one or more of data updater 176, object updater 177, andGUI updater 178 are included in a respective application view 191.

A respective event recognizer 180 receives event information (e.g.,event data 179) from event sorter 170, and identifies an event from theevent information. Event recognizer 180 includes event receiver 182 andevent comparator 184. In some embodiments, event recognizer 180 alsoincludes at least a subset of: metadata 183, and event deliveryinstructions 188 (which optionally include sub-event deliveryinstructions).

Event receiver 182 receives event information from event sorter 170. Theevent information includes information about a sub-event, for example, atouch or a touch movement. Depending on the sub-event, the eventinformation also includes additional information, such as location ofthe sub-event. When the sub-event concerns motion of a touch, the eventinformation optionally also includes speed and direction of thesub-event. In some embodiments, events include rotation of the devicefrom one orientation to another (e.g., from portrait to landscape, orvice versa), and the event information includes correspondinginformation about the current orientation (also called device attitude)of the device.

Event comparator 184 compares the event information to predefined eventor sub-event definitions and, based on the comparison, determines anevent or sub-event, or determines or updates the state of an event orsub-event. In some embodiments, event comparator 184 includes eventdefinitions 186. Event definitions 186 contain definitions of events(e.g., predefined sequences of sub-events), for example, event 1(187-1), event 2 (187-2), and others. In some embodiments, sub-events inan event 187 include, for example, touch begin, touch end, touchmovement, touch cancellation, and multiple touching. In one example, thedefinition for event 1 (187-1) is a double tap on a displayed object.The double tap, for example, comprises a first touch (touch begin) onthe displayed object for a predetermined phase, a first lift-off (touchend) for a predetermined phase, a second touch (touch begin) on thedisplayed object for a predetermined phase, and a second lift-off (touchend) for a predetermined phase. In another example, the definition forevent 2 (187-2) is a dragging on a displayed object. The dragging, forexample, comprises a touch (or contact) on the displayed object for apredetermined phase, a movement of the touch across touch-sensitivedisplay 112, and lift-off of the touch (touch end). In some embodiments,the event also includes information for one or more associated eventhandlers 190.

In some embodiments, event definition 186 includes a definition of anevent for a respective user-interface object. In some embodiments, eventcomparator 184 performs a hit test to determine which user-interfaceobject is associated with a sub-event. For example, in an applicationview in which three user-interface objects are displayed ontouch-sensitive display 112, when a touch is detected on touch-sensitivedisplay 112, event comparator 184 performs a hit test to determine whichof the three user-interface objects is associated with the touch(sub-event). If each displayed object is associated with a respectiveevent handler 190, the event comparator uses the result of the hit testto determine which event handler 190 should be activated. For example,event comparator 184 selects an event handler associated with thesub-event and the object triggering the hit test.

In some embodiments, the definition for a respective event 187 alsoincludes delayed actions that delay delivery of the event informationuntil after it has been determined whether the sequence of sub-eventsdoes or does not correspond to the event recognizer's event type.

When a respective event recognizer 180 determines that the series ofsub-events do not match any of the events in event definitions 186, therespective event recognizer 180 enters an event impossible, eventfailed, or event ended state, after which it disregards subsequentsub-events of the touch-based gesture. In this situation, other eventrecognizers, if any remain active for the hit view, continue to trackand process sub-events of an ongoing touch-based gesture.

In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 includes metadata183 with configurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicate howthe event delivery system should perform sub-event delivery to activelyinvolved event recognizers. In some embodiments, metadata 183 includesconfigurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicate how eventrecognizers interact, or are enabled to interact, with one another. Insome embodiments, metadata 183 includes configurable properties, flags,and/or lists that indicate whether sub-events are delivered to varyinglevels in the view or programmatic hierarchy.

In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 activates eventhandler 190 associated with an event when one or more particularsub-events of an event are recognized. In some embodiments, a respectiveevent recognizer 180 delivers event information associated with theevent to event handler 190. Activating an event handler 190 is distinctfrom sending (and deferred sending) sub-events to a respective hit view.In some embodiments, event recognizer 180 throws a flag associated withthe recognized event, and event handler 190 associated with the flagcatches the flag and performs a predefined process.

In some embodiments, event delivery instructions 188 include sub-eventdelivery instructions that deliver event information about a sub-eventwithout activating an event handler. Instead, the sub-event deliveryinstructions deliver event information to event handlers associated withthe series of sub-events or to actively involved views. Event handlersassociated with the series of sub-events or with actively involved viewsreceive the event information and perform a predetermined process.

In some embodiments, data updater 176 creates and updates data used inapplication 136-1. For example, data updater 176 updates the telephonenumber used in contacts module 137, or stores a video file used in videoand music player module 145. In some embodiments, object updater 177creates and updates objects used in application 136-1. For example,object updater 176 creates a new user-interface object or updates theposition of a user-interface object. GUI updater 178 updates the GUI.For example, GUI updater 178 prepares display information and sends itto graphics module 132 for display on a touch-sensitive display.

In some embodiments, event handler(s) 190 includes or has access to dataupdater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater 178. In someembodiments, data updater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater 178are included in a single module of a respective application 136-1 orapplication view 191. In other embodiments, they are included in two ormore software modules.

It shall be understood that the foregoing discussion regarding eventhandling of user touches on touch-sensitive displays also applies toother forms of user inputs to operate multifunction devices 100 withinput-devices, not all of which are initiated on touch screens. Forexample, mouse movement and mouse button presses, optionally coordinatedwith single or multiple keyboard presses or holds; contact movementssuch as taps, drags, scrolls, etc., on touch-pads; pen stylus inputs;movement of the device; oral instructions; detected eye movements;biometric inputs; and/or any combination thereof is optionally utilizedas inputs corresponding to sub-events which define an event to berecognized.

FIG. 2A is a schematic of a portable multifunction device (e.g.,portable multifunction device 100) having a touch-sensitive display(e.g., touch screen 112) in accordance with some embodiments. In thisembodiment, as well as others described below, a user can select one ormore of the graphics by making a gesture on the screen, for example,with one or more fingers or one or more styluses. In some embodiments,selection of one or more graphics occurs when the user breaks contactwith the one or more graphics (e.g., by lifting a finger off of thescreen). In some embodiments, the gesture optionally includes one ormore tap gestures (e.g., a sequence of touches on the screen followed bylift-offs), one or more swipe gestures (continuous contact during thegesture along the surface of the screen, e.g., from left to right, rightto left, upward and/or downward), and/or a rolling of a finger (e.g.,from right to left, left to right, upward and/or downward) that has madecontact with device 100. In some implementations or circumstances,inadvertent contact with a graphic does not select the graphic. Forexample, a swipe gesture that sweeps over an application affordance(e.g., an icon) optionally does not launch (e.g., open) thecorresponding application when the gesture for launching the applicationis a tap gesture.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more physical buttons, suchas a “home” or menu button 204. As described previously, menu button 204is, optionally, used to navigate to any application 136 in a set ofapplications that are, optionally executed on device 100. Alternatively,in some embodiments, the menu button is implemented as a soft key in aGUI displayed on touch screen 112.

In one embodiment, device 100 includes touch screen 112, menu button204, push button 206 for powering the device on/off and locking thedevice, volume adjustment button(s) 208, Subscriber Identity Module(SIM) card slot 210, head set jack 212, and docking/charging externalport 124. Push button 206 is, optionally, used to turn the power on/offon the device by depressing the button and holding the button in thedepressed state for a predefined time interval; to lock the device bydepressing the button and releasing the button before the predefinedtime interval has elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate anunlock process. In an alternative embodiment, device 100 also acceptsverbal input for activation or deactivation of some functions throughmicrophone 113. Device 100 also, optionally, includes one or moretactile output generators 167 for generating tactile outputs for a userof device 100.

FIG. 2B is a schematic used to illustrate a user interface on a device(e.g., device 100, FIG. 1A) with a touch-sensitive surface 251 (e.g., atablet or touchpad) that is separate from the display 250 (e.g., touchscreen 112). In some embodiments, touch-sensitive surface 251 includesone or more tactile output generator(s) 257 for generating tactileoutputs for a user of touch-sensitive surface 251.

Although some of the examples which follow will be given with referenceto inputs on touch screen 112 (where the touch sensitive surface and thedisplay are combined), in some embodiments, the device detects inputs ona touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the display, as shown inFIG. 2B. In some embodiments the touch sensitive surface (e.g., 251 inFIG. 2B) has a primary axis (e.g., 252 in FIG. 2B) that corresponds to aprimary axis (e.g., 253 in FIG. 2B) on the display (e.g., 250). Inaccordance with these embodiments, the device detects contacts (e.g.,260 and 262 in FIG. 2B) with the touch-sensitive surface 251 atlocations that correspond to respective locations on the display (e.g.,in FIG. 2B, 260 corresponds to 268 and 262 corresponds to 270). In thisway, user inputs (e.g., contacts 260 and 262, and movements thereof)detected by the device on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., 251 in FIG.2B) are used by the device to manipulate the user interface on thedisplay (e.g., 250 in FIG. 2B) of the multifunction device when thetouch-sensitive surface is separate from the display. It should beunderstood that similar methods are, optionally, used for other userinterfaces described herein.

Additionally, while the following examples are given primarily withreference to finger inputs (e.g., finger contacts, finger tap gestures,finger swipe gestures), it should be understood that, in someembodiments, one or more of the finger inputs are replaced with inputfrom another input device (e.g., a mouse based input or stylus input).For example, a swipe gesture is, optionally, replaced with a mouse click(e.g., instead of a contact) followed by movement of the cursor alongthe path of the swipe (e.g., instead of movement of the contact). Asanother example, a tap gesture is, optionally, replaced with a mouseclick while the cursor is located over the location of the tap gesture(e.g., instead of detection of the contact followed by ceasing to detectthe contact). Similarly, when multiple user inputs are simultaneouslydetected, it should be understood that multiple computer mice are,optionally, used simultaneously, or mouse and finger contacts are,optionally, used simultaneously.

As used herein, the term “focus selector” refers to an input elementthat indicates a current part of a user interface with which a user isinteracting. In some implementations that include a cursor or otherlocation marker, the cursor acts as a “focus selector,” so that when aninput (e.g., a press input) is detected on a touch-sensitive surface(e.g., touch-sensitive surface 251 in FIG. 2B (touch-sensitive surface251, in some embodiments, is a touchpad)) while the cursor is over aparticular user interface element (e.g., a button, window, slider orother user interface element), the particular user interface element isadjusted in accordance with the detected input. In some implementationsthat include a touch-screen display (e.g., touch-sensitive displaysystem 112 in FIG. 1A or touch screen 112) that enables directinteraction with user interface elements on the touch-screen display, adetected contact on the touch-screen acts as a “focus selector,” so thatwhen an input (e.g., a press input by the contact) is detected on thetouch-screen display at a location of a particular user interfaceelement (e.g., a button, window, slider or other user interfaceelement), the particular user interface element is adjusted inaccordance with the detected input. In some implementations focus ismoved from one region of a user interface to another region of the userinterface without corresponding movement of a cursor or movement of acontact on a touch-screen display (e.g., by using a tab key or arrowkeys to move focus from one button to another button); in theseimplementations, the focus selector moves in accordance with movement offocus between different regions of the user interface. Without regard tothe specific form taken by the focus selector, the focus selector isgenerally the user interface element (or contact on a touch-screendisplay) that is controlled by the user so as to communicate the user'sintended interaction with the user interface (e.g., by indicating, tothe device, the element of the user interface with which the user isintending to interact). For example, the location of a focus selector(e.g., a cursor, a contact or a selection box) over a respective buttonwhile a press input is detected on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., atouchpad or touch-sensitive display) will indicate that the user isintending to activate the respective button (as opposed to other userinterface elements shown on a display of the device).

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a touch screen used to illustrate a userinterface for a menu of applications, in accordance with someembodiments. Similar user interfaces are, optionally, implemented ondevice 100 (FIG. 1A). In some embodiments, the user interface displayedon the touch screen 112 includes the following elements, or a subset orsuperset thereof:

-   -   Signal strength indicator(s) 202 for wireless communication(s),        such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals;    -   Time 203;    -   Bluetooth indicator 205;    -   Battery status indicator 206;    -   Tray 209 with icons for frequently used applications, such as:        -   Icon 216 for telephone module 138, labeled “Phone,” which            optionally includes an indicator 214 of the number of missed            calls or voicemail messages;        -   Icon 218 for e-mail client module 140, labeled “Mail,” which            optionally includes an indicator 210 of the number of unread            e-mails;        -   Icon 220 for browser module 147, labeled “Browser;” and        -   Icon 222 for video and music player module 152, also            referred to as IPOD (trademark of APPLE Inc.) module 152,            labeled “iPod;” and    -   Icons for other applications, such as:        -   Icon 224 for IM module 141, labeled “Messages;”        -   Icon 226 for calendar module 148, labeled “Calendar;”        -   Icon 228 for image management module 144, labeled “Photos;”        -   Icon 230 for camera module 143, labeled “Camera;”        -   Icon 232 for online video module 155, labeled “Online Video”        -   Icon 234 for stocks widget 149-2, labeled “Stocks;”        -   Icon 236 for map module 154, labeled “Maps;”        -   Icon 238 for weather widget 149-1, labeled “Weather;”        -   Icon 240 for alarm clock widget 149-4, labeled “Clock;”        -   Icon 242 for health module 142, labeled “Health;”        -   Icon 244 for notes module 153, labeled “Notes;”        -   Icon 246 for a settings application or module, which            provides access to settings for device 100 and its various            applications; and        -   Other icons for additional applications, such as App Store,            iTunes, Voice Memos, and Utilities.

It should be noted that the icon labels illustrated in FIG. 2 are merelyexamples. Other labels are, optionally, used for various applicationicons. For example, icon 242 for health module 142 is alternativelylabeled “Fitness Support,” “Workout,” “Workout Support,” “Exercise,”“Exercise Support,” or “Fitness.” In some embodiments, a label for arespective application icon includes a name of an applicationcorresponding to the respective application icon. In some embodiments, alabel for a particular application icon is distinct from a name of anapplication corresponding to the particular application icon.

User Interfaces and Associated Processes

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of processes andassociated user interfaces (“UI”) that may be implemented on anelectronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, andoptionally one or more sensors to detect intensities of contacts withthe touch-sensitive surface, such as the portable multifunction device100.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method 400 of activating atrackpad mode using an extended contact over a virtual keyboard on atouch-sensitive display, in accordance with some embodiments. The method400 is performed at a portable multifunction device (e.g., the device100 in FIG. 1A) with a touch-sensitive display (e.g., the touch screen112 in FIG. 1A). As described below, the method 400 does not require theportable multifunction device to include a contact intensity sensor(e.g., a force sensor, or a pressure sensor), thus reducing the cost fordesigning and manufacturing the portable multifunction device. Themethod is also intuitive to a user, thereby reducing the number, extent,and/or nature of the inputs from the user when activating the trackpadmode, and creating a more efficient human-machine interface. A moreefficient input mechanism also requires less computing resources,thereby increasing battery life of the device.

FIGS. 5A-1 to 5K-6 illustrate example user interfaces for activating atrackpad mode using an extended contact over a virtual keyboard (e.g.,over the spacebar key on the virtual keyboard), in accordance with someembodiments. The user interfaces in FIGS. 5A-1 to 5K-6 are used toillustrate the processes described with respect to FIG. 4 and FIGS.6A-6F. Some of the FIGS. 5A-1 to 5K-6 further include schematic diagramsillustrating the passage of time to help explain certain time-dependentfeatures, and this representation of passage of time is an example onlyand further is not something that is displayed on the electronic deviceduring its operation.

In FIG. 5A-1, editable content 500 is displayed in a contentpresentation region 502 while an application (e.g., notes application153 or message application 141) is in a text-editing mode. In someembodiments, the content 500 in the content presentation region 502comprises text (e.g., plain text, unstructured text, formatted text, ortext in a web page). In other embodiments, the content comprisesgraphics with or without text. Moreover, the content may be editable orread-only. In addition to displaying the content, when no content isselected, the device 100 may display a cursor (e.g., cursor 522) withinthe electronic document, e.g., for text entry, selection, andmanipulation.

As shown in FIG. 5A-1, in the text-editing mode, an onscreen keyboard521 (e.g., also referred to as a virtual keyboard, or a soft keyboard)is displayed for text inputs. A user may enter text by touch inputs(also referred to as contact inputs) on the virtual keyboard 521. Theuser may further confirm completion of the editing by performing anothertouch input (e.g., a tap on “done” button 504) to exit the text-editingmode and to cease displaying the virtual keyboard 521.

FIG. 5A-1 also shows display of an insertion marker (e.g., cursor 522),which indicates a current location to which input provided at thevirtual keyboard will be directed. In some embodiments and as shown inFIG. 5A-1, the keyboard 521 has multiple virtual keys and each key has arespective symbol that describes the key's function. In addition, insome embodiments, each key is displayed in a way that simulatesthree-dimensional visual characteristics (e.g., a three-dimensionalshape, drop shadow, etc.)

In some embodiments, the application runs on a device 100 that has oneor more touch sensors (e.g., capacitive sensor(s)) for measuringproximity, position, or displacement, or acceleration of one or morecontacts with the touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, thedevice 100 continuously monitors touch inputs and continuous movementsof the touch inputs on the touch screen 112. In some embodiments, thedevice 100 only has the touch sensors and does not include other sensorsfor detecting force or pressure of inputs.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5A-1, in some embodiments, while displaying thecontent of the electronic document, the device 100 detects (402) acontact input 510 on the touch-sensitive display of the device 100. Thecontact input can be made by the user using, e.g., their finger or byusing a stylus.

In some embodiments, while displaying the virtual keyboard 521 on atleast a portion of the touch screen display, the device 100 determines(404) whether the contact input is detected over a mode-switching areaof the virtual keyboard 521 that is associated with activation of atrackpad mode. For example, upon detecting an extended contact (e.g.,for at least an extended-contact-duration threshold, such as 0.25seconds) over the mode-switching area, the device 100 (e.g., using theinput switching module 163-3, FIG. 1A) switches the keyboard 521 to asoft trackpad (also referred to as a virtual trackpad, an onscreentrackpad.)

In some embodiments, the mode-switching area corresponds to a displayedrepresentation of the spacebar key. In some embodiments, themode-switching area corresponds to a non-character key (e.g., a languageswitching key or a microphone activation key) that is not associatedwith an extended keyboard function (e.g., an extended contact over thenon-character key activates the same function as a momentary contactover that key). In some embodiments, a UI object (e.g., an affordance ora virtual button) displayed on the touch screen display of the device100 and distinct from a key of the virtual keyboard is used as themode-switching area. In some embodiments, an area that does not includeany displayed representations of keys and that can be visually distinctfrom the displayed representations of the keys of the virtual keyboard,such as an area 506 between the spacebar on the virtual keyboard and thelower edge of the touch screen display, is used as the mode-switchingarea. In some embodiments, when the device 100 displays anon-alphanumeric virtual keyboard, such as an Emoji keyboard, the device100 can use the area 506 as the mode-switching area (or a portion of thearea 506, such as that portion that borders a bottom edge of thetouch-sensitive display). For simplicity of illustration and explanationonly, and without limiting the scope of this disclosure, the displayedrepresentation of the spacebar key of the keyboard 521 is the primaryexample mode-switching area in FIGS. 5A-1 to 5K-6. The other examplesdescribed in this paragraph as mode-switching areas could be used inplace of or in addition to use of the displayed representation of thespacebar key as a mode-switching area (e.g., in conjunction with themethod 600 discussed in detail below). In some embodiments, the spacebarkey includes a displayed symbol (e.g., “space”) as shown in FIG. 5A-1.In some alternative embodiments, the spacebar key does not include adisplayed symbol.

In some embodiments, upon detecting (402) the contact input 510, thedevice 100 determines that the contact input 510 is over a virtual keycorresponding to letter “e,” which is not part of the mode-switchingarea for activating the trackpad mode (404—No). As shown in FIG. 5A-1,in response to detecting the contact input 510 on the letter “e” key,the device 100 further displays a preview area 512 that extends from thecorresponding key to provide a preview of an entry of the letter “e.”

The device 100 further determines (406) whether the contact input is anextended contact. For example, the device 100 determines whether thecontact input 510 has a duration for longer than or equal to anextended-contact-duration threshold. In some embodiments, theextended-contact-duration threshold is selected to be any suitable timeperiod that allows the device to distinguish extended contacts frommomentary contacts, one example of a suitable time period is 0.25seconds. As shown in FIG. 5A-1, a timer is used for illustrating aduration of the contact input 510. In the current example, the device100 detects that the contact input 510 has a duration of 0.03 secondssince the initial contact 510.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5A-2, in accordance with adetermination that the contact input 510 is not an extended contact(406—No, FIG. 4), the keyboard input mode remains (410). For example,because the duration of the contact 510 is shorter than theextended-contact-duration threshold, the contact input 510 is determinedto be a momentary contact (e.g., a short and single tap). In someembodiments, the keyboard input mode includes entering contentcorresponding to the contact input when the device detects that thecontact input has ceased (e.g., a finger lift-off) within thepredetermined time threshold. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A-2, whenthe device 100 determines that the contact input 510 has ceased (e.g., afinger lift-off) after the contact 510 was on the display for 0.03seconds, the device 100 adds the letter “e” to the region 502.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5B-1 when the device 100detects that the duration of the contact input (e.g., contact input 514)on the touch-sensitive display is 0.24 seconds, the device 100determines that the contact input 514 is still not an extended contact,and thus displays the preview area 512 of the letter (e.g., letter “e”)of the corresponding touched key. When the contact input 514 lasts formore than or equal to the extended-contact-duration threshold, e.g.,0.25 seconds in FIG. 5B-2, the device 100 determines that the contactinput (e.g., contact input 514, FIG. 5B-2) is an extended contact(406—Yes, FIG. 4). The device 100 then proceeds to determine (408)whether the key over which the contact 514 is received is associatedwith an extended keyboard function or not. In some embodiments, theextended keyboard function includes displaying a set of accentedletters. The extended feature can include any other suitable featuresassociated with different keys on the virtual keyboard.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5B-2, in accordance with adetermination that the key (e.g., the “e” key in the depicted example)is associated with an extended keyboard function (408—Yes, FIG. 4), thedevice 100 displays (414) an extended feature bar 526 listing a set ofaccented marks associated with the “e” key. The device 100 is inkeyboard input mode (410) to enter an accented letter selected from theextended feature bar 526. In some embodiments, the user can move theinput 514 to select a certain accented letter within the extendedfeature bar 526. As shown in FIG. 5B-3, upon detecting a lift-off fromthe touch-sensitive display (and without the user having moved input 514to select an accented letter option), the device 100 actuates the “e”key and ceases to display the extended feature bar 526 (as is shown inFIG. 5B-3).

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5C-1, in accordance with adetermination that the letter corresponding to the contact input (e.g.,contact input 518) does not have an associated extended keyboardfunction (408—No, FIG. 4), the device 100 remains in the keyboard inputmode (410) and does not show any extended keyboard feature/function forthat key. For example, although the contact input 518 on the virtual keycorresponding to the letter “q” lasts for a duration of 0.25 seconds,which equals the example extended-contact-duration threshold discussedabove, the device 100 still displays the preview area 516 of the letter“q” because the letter “q” is not associated with an extended keyboardfunction in this ongoing example. As shown in FIG. 5C-2, upon detectinga lift-off of the contact 518 from the touch-sensitive display, thedevice enters the adds “q” to the content presentation region 502.

In some embodiments, in response to detecting a contact input (e.g.,contact input 530, FIG. 5D-1), the device 100 determines that thecontact input 530 is over the mode-switching area (e.g., over adisplayed representation of the spacebar key) on the virtual keyboard(404—Yes, FIG. 4). In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5D-1, upon adetection of the contact input 530 over the displayed representation ofthe spacebar, the device further highlights the spacebar (e.g., bychanging edges of the spacebar to appear in bolded lines or changing acolor of the spacebar).

In some embodiments, the device 100 determines (418) whether the contactinput 530 on over the mode-switching area is an extended contact. Insome embodiments, the device 100 compares a duration of the contactinput 530 (e.g., 0.03 seconds in FIG. 5D-1) with anextended-contact-duration threshold to determine whether the contactinput 530 is an extended contact or not.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5D-2, the device detects alift-off of the contact 530 from the touch-sensitive display. Becausethe duration of the contact input 530 in FIG. 5D-1 is shorter than theextended-contact-duration threshold, the device 100 determines that thecontact input 530 is not an extended contact (418—No, FIG. 4). Thedevice 100, therefore, remains in the keyboard input mode (420). Forexample, as shown in FIG. 5D-2, when the device 100 determines that thecontact input 530 is a short and single tap on the spacebar, the device100 adds a space into the content presentation region 502 and remains inthe keyboard-input mode.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5E-1, when the device 100 detectsthat a contact input (e.g., contact input 532) remains on the spacebarfor 0.24 seconds without a lift-off from the touch screen, the device100 determines that the contact input 532 is still not an extendedcontact. As shown in FIG. 5E-2, when a duration of the contact input 532reaches 0.25 seconds, which equals to the extended-contact-durationthreshold, the device 100 determines that the contact input 532 is anextended contact (418—Yes, FIG. 4). In response, the device 100 (e.g.,using the input switching module 163-3, FIG. 1A) switches the input modefrom the keyboard mode to a trackpad mode (422). As shown in FIG. 5E-2a, the device 100 alters the virtual keyboard (e.g., ceases to displaysymbols on the keyboard) upon entering the trackpad mode.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5E-2 a, the soft trackpad 523may still include key boundaries but no symbols are displayed, toprovide the user with a clear visual cue that the device has switched totrackpad mode. In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5E-2 b, the softtrackpad 524 further removes the boundaries of the virtual keys from thevirtual keyboard to simulate the appearance of a trackpad morecompletely.

In addition, in some embodiments, the color, hue, saturation,brightness, and/or contrast of the virtual keyboard 521 in FIG. 5E-1 isalso changed (e.g., to gray and semitransparent) in the soft trackpad523 to indicate that the application has entered a mode (i.e., thetrackpad mode) that is different from a keyboard input mode. In thetrackpad mode, the soft trackpad 523 is not responsive to contact inputsfor text entries, but rather serves as an onscreen touchpad or track padfor moving the cursor or for selecting content.

In some embodiments as shown in FIGS. 5E-2 a and 5E-2 b, once thetrackpad mode is activated, the device 100 further displays a ghostcursor 525 offset from the current location of the real cursor 522. Insome embodiments, the ghost cursor 525 indicates where the cursor 522will be located after a lift-off of the finger contact. In someembodiments, the ghost cursor 525 is a modified version of the originalcursor 522 displayed on the screen (e.g., the ghost cursor 525 is ingrey color, while the original cursor 522 as shown in FIG. 5E-2 is inblack color). In some embodiments, the ghost cursor 525 is linked to thereal cursor 522, so that when the real cursor 522 moves around thescreen, so does the ghost cursor 525. In some embodiments, while thereal cursor 522 is moved around the screen by the user, the ghost cursor525 shows the closest offset position (e.g., to the left or right) forthe real cursor 522. When the device 100 detects a lift-off event of thecontact input 532, the real cursor 522 replaces the ghost cursor 525 atthe position of the ghost cursor 525 when the lift-off event occurred.

In some embodiments, after entering the trackpad mode (422), the device100 detects (423) a movement of the contact input. For example, as shownin FIG. 5E-3, the device 100 detects a movement 536 of the contact input532 on the trackpad 523.

In some embodiments, in response to detecting the movement 536 of thecontact input 532, the device 100 determines (424) whether the contactinput 532 satisfies one or more predetermined movement parameters. Insome embodiments, the one or more predetermined movement parametersinclude a predetermined distance threshold, e.g., movement of inchacross the touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, the one or morepredetermined movement parameters include a predetermined moving speedthreshold of the cursor, e.g., 5 pixels/second of movement across thetouch-sensitive display.

Use of these movement parameters allows the device to decide when thetrackpad mode should be exited and when it should be maintained, as isdiscussed in more detail below.

In some embodiments, the device 100 determines that the movement of thecontact input 532 does not satisfy the one or more predeterminedmovement parameters (424—No, FIG. 4). For example, as shown in FIG.5E-3, the device 100 detects that the movement 536 of the contact input532 on the soft trackpad 523 corresponds to a movement of less than 1inch across the touch-sensitive display and that the speed of themovement is less than 5 pixels/second. Thus the movement 536 of thecontact input 532 in FIG. 5E-3 does not satisfy the predeterminedmovement parameters.

In some embodiments, the device 100 further proceeds to determine (426)whether the movement 536 of the contact input 532 is a precise movementcorresponding to a user's intention to precisely place the cursor at aspecific location on the content presentation region 502. In someembodiments, the device 100 determines whether a moving speed of thecontact input 532 is equal to or below a threshold, such as 5pixels/second. If so, the device 100 determines that the movement 536 ofthe contact input 532 is a precise movement (426—Yes, FIG. 4). Forexample, the device 100 determines that the user intends to preciselyplace the cursor at a specific location (e.g., between the letters “e”and “d” of the word “created”) by the movement 536 of the contact input532 on the soft trackpad 523. As shown in FIG. 5E-3, in response to thefinger movement 536 on the soft trackpad, the ghost cursor 525 and theactual cursor 522 move (428) 4 characters to the intended location inthe content presentation region 502.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5E-4, in response to detectinga lift-off event following the precise movement 536 in FIG. 5E-3, thedevice 100 immediately exits (430) the trackpad mode to display thevirtual keyboard 521. There is no delay in switching from the softtrackpad 523 to the soft keyboard 521, because the user has carefullyplaced the cursor and is not likely to want to remain in the trackpadmode any longer. In some embodiments, the actual cursor 522 stays atwhere the actual cursor 522 is when the lift-off event occurs and theghost cursor 525 disappears.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5F-1, after the device 100detects that a duration of a contact 538 is longer than theextended-contact-duration threshold (e.g., 0.25 seconds), the contact538 is determined to be an extended contact and the trackpad mode isactivated. The device 100 determines whether the contact input 538 isstatic or whether a movement of the contact input 538 is a precisemovement (e.g., whether a movement of the cursor by the contact input isbelow the predetermined minimum movement threshold (e.g., 1 inch)). Forexample, as shown in FIG. 5F-2, if no movement is detected, the device100 determines that the contact input 538 does not have a precisemovement component (426—No, FIG. 4). For example, the user mayaccidentally activate the trackpad mode by pressing the spacebar for anextended period of time with no intention to use the soft trackpad 523.In response, the device 100 freezes (432) the actual cursor 522 and theghost cursor 525 without incurring any movement in the contentpresentation region 502.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 5F-3, in response to detecting alift-off of the contact input 538, the device 100 immediately exits(434) the trackpad mode to display the virtual keyboard 521. There is nodelay in switching from the soft trackpad 523 to the soft keyboard 521.In some embodiments, the actual cursor 522 stays at where the actualcursor 522 is when the lift-off event occurs and the ghost cursor 525disappears.

In an alternative embodiment distinct from FIG. 5F-3, in response todetecting a lift-off event for the static contact input 538, instead ofexiting the trackpad mode, the device 100 remains in the trackpad mode(e.g., also referred to as a trackpad sticky mode). The static contactinput 538 may be used to activate the trackpad stickiness mode, suchthat the soft trackpad can be preserved for a certain period of time(e.g., 0.5 seconds, 1 seconds, or 2 seconds, etc.) after detecting thelift-off.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5G-1, after the device 100detects that a duration of a contact 540 on the spacebar is longer thana predetermined time threshold (e.g., 0.25 seconds), the contact 540 isdetermined to be an extended contact and the trackpad mode is activated.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5G-2, in response to detecting(423) a movement of the contact input 540 following the display of thetrackpad 523 (e.g., in trackpad mode 422, FIG. 4), the device 100determines (424) whether the movement of the contact input 540 satisfiesthe one or more predetermined movement parameters. In some embodiments,the one or more predetermined movement parameters include apredetermined moving distance threshold and/or a predetermined movingspeed threshold, as was discussed above. In some embodiments, the one ormore predetermined movement parameters include a movement directionparameter that reflects whether the contact moved in a downwarddirection.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5G-2, the device 100 determines that adownward movement 542 of the contact input 540 on the spacebar satisfiesthe one or more predetermined movement parameters (424—Yes, FIG. 4). Thedevice 100 moves (436) the cursor, including both the actual cursor 522and the ghost cursor 525, in the content presentation region 502 inaccordance with the movement 542. Because there is not much screen realestate left as the movement 542 progresses, after lift-off of thecontact 540, the device stays in the trackpad mode to give the user anopportunity to reposition their finger in a place that affords them morespace to continue moving the cursor.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5G-3, the device 100 detects (438) alift-off event of the contact input 540. Instead of exiting the trackpadmode, the device 100 stays (440) in the trackpad mode and the softtrackpad 523 remains. In some embodiments, both the actual cursor 522and the ghost cursor 525 are preserved at their respective locationswhen the lift-off event is detected. In some embodiments, the device 100continues to detect (442) whether there is a second contact within apredetermined period of time since detecting the lift-off (e.g., within0.5 seconds of detecting the lift-off).

In some embodiments, the device 100 stays in the trackpad mode for apredetermined period of time (e.g., also referred to as a trackpadstickiness mode). For the sake of illustration and not intended to belimiting, the present disclosure uses 0.5 seconds as the predeterminedperiod of time. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that such predetermined period of time for staying in thetrackpad mode can be any suitable time period, such as 1 second, 0.75seconds, or 0.5 seconds. Such predetermined period of time can also bepre-set by the manufacturer or designer, and later customized by theuser using a settings interface on the device.

In some embodiments, the device 100 continuously monitors whether asecond contact input is received since detecting (438) the lift-offevent. The device 100 also tracks a time duration (e.g., the timepassed) since the lift-off event, as illustrated visually by the timerin FIG. 5G-4, and the device remains in the trackpad mode whilemonitoring for another contact.

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5G-5, the device 100 does notdetect any contact input by the end of the predetermined period of time(e.g., 0.5 seconds in FIG. 5G-5). That is, no second contact has beendetected for a duration of 0.5 seconds since the lift-off event (442—No,FIG. 4). At 0.5 seconds, the device 100 exits (444) the trackpad mode todisplay the virtual keyboard 521. In some embodiments, the actual cursor522 stays at where the actual cursor 522 was when the lift-off eventoccurred, and the ghost cursor 525 is no longer displayed.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 5H-1, after the device 100 detectsthat a duration of a contact 548 over the mode-switching area (e.g.,over the spacebar key) is longer than a predetermined time threshold(e.g., 0.25 seconds), the contact 540 is determined to be an extendedcontact and the trackpad mode is activated. In some embodiments, thedevice 100 further provides a haptic feedback 549 in response to theactivation of the trackpad mode to alert the user that trackpad mode hasbeen entered. For example, the device 100 vibrates once upon activationof the trackpad mode, or the device may provide a localized vibrationnear to the contact 548.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 5H-2, the device 100 detects amovement 550 of the contact input 548. In some embodiments, inaccordance with a determination that the movement 550 satisfies themovement parameter (e.g., the movement 550 is at a speed that is greaterthan the predetermined speed threshold and/or a distance moved duringthe movement 550 is greater than the predetermined distance threshold),the movement 550 is determined to satisfy a respective movementparameter (424—Yes, FIG. 4). The device 100 moves (436) the cursor,including both the actual cursor 522 and the ghost cursor 525, in thecontent presentation region 502 in accordance with the movement 550.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 5H-3, the device 100 detects (438)a lift-off event of the contact input 548. The device 100 stays (440) inthe trackpad mode and the soft trackpad 523 remains on display. Asdiscussed above with reference to FIGS. 5G-3 to 5G-5, the trackpad moderemains for a predetermined period of time, e.g. 0.5 seconds, withoutdetecting a second contact on the display.

FIG. 5I-1 also shows that the device remains in the trackpad mode afterdetermining that the movement of a contact input satisfies a respectivemovement parameter (424—Yes, FIG. 4).

In some embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5I-2, if the device 100 detectsa second contact input 544 before the trackpad mode expires (e.g.,before 0.5 seconds since the lift-off event) (442—Yes, FIG. 4), thedevice 100 continues to determine (446) the touch type of the secondcontact 544. In some embodiments, the device 100 determines that thecontact input 544 is (456) a single touch. In response, the device 100remains (458) in trackpad mode.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5I-3, the device 100 detects a movement546 of the contact input 544 while the device is still in the trackpadmode. In response, the actual cursor 522 and the ghost cursor 525 movein the content presentation region 502 in accordance with the movement546 of the contact input 544 on the soft trackpad 523. In someembodiments and as shown in FIG. 5I-4, upon detecting a lift-off of thecontact 544 from the touch-sensitive display, the device 100 remains inthe trackpad mode. In some other embodiments and as discussed above atstep 424 with reference to FIGS. 4, 5E-3 to 5E-4, 5F-2 to 5F-3, 5G-2 to5G-5, and 5H-2 to 5H-3, when detecting lift-off of the contact 544, thedevice 100 may determine whether the movement 546 of the contact input544 satisfies the one or more movement parameters and perform functionsthereafter accordingly. In yet some other embodiments (not shown), upondetecting a lift-off event following the single touch 544, the device100 immediately exits the trackpad mode.

FIG. 5J-1 also starts with the device remaining in the trackpad mode(e.g., extended contact may have been used to activate the mode and thenmovement of that contact satisfied a respective movement parameter). Insome embodiments and as shown in FIG. 5J-2, if the device 100 detects asecond contact input 556-1 before the trackpad mode expires (e.g.,before 0.5 seconds since the lift-off event) (442—Yes, FIG. 4), thedevice 100 continues to determine (446) the touch type of the secondcontact 556-1. In some embodiments, the device 100 detects (460) a quickdouble tap on the touch screen to trigger (462) text selection.

For example, in FIG. 5J-2, the device 100 may detect that a duration ofthe contact 556-1 is shorter than a predetermined threshold (e.g., 0.05seconds), which is immediately followed by a lift-off event of thecontact 556-1 as illustrated in FIG. 5J-3 by the dashed line). Since thelift-off event, if the device 100 further detects a second contact 556-2within a predetermined threshold (e.g., 0.05 seconds) as shown in FIG.5J-4, the device 100 determines that a quick double tap has beenreceived on the touch-sensitive display. In response, as shown in FIG.5J-4, the device 100 selects a portion of the content 500 (e.g., a wordwhere the cursor is at) and displays the selection 562. For example, theword “Liberty” is highlighted as being selected. In some embodiments,the device 100 displays markers, such as a start-point object 560 and anend-point object 558 at respective ends of “Liberty” to indicate theselection 562.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 5J-5, when the device 100 detects alift-off event after the double tap, the device 100 remains in thetrackpad mode and the selection 562 remains on display. In some otherembodiments (not shown), when the device 100 detects a lift-off eventafter the double tap, the device 100 immediately exits the trackpad modewhile preserving the selection 562 on display.

FIG. 5K-1 shows the device operating in the trackpad mode (e.g.,extended contact may have been used to activate the mode and thenmovement of that contact satisfied a respective movement parameter). Insome embodiments and as shown in FIGS. 5K-2 to 5K-4, the device 100detects a quick double tap (e.g., tap 570-1, FIG. 5K-2, then lift-off inFIG. 5K-3, and tap 570-2 in FIG. 5K-4). Following text selection 562 inresponse to the quick double tap in FIG. 5K-4, the device 100 mayfurther detect (464) a hold-and-drag gesture 574 of the contact 570-2 asshown in FIG. 5K-5. In response, as illustrated in FIG. 5K-5, the device100 selects (466) more object (e.g., additional words in the region 502)in accordance with the movement 574 on the trackpad.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 5K-6, when the device 100 detects alift-off event after the double-tap and hold-and-drag gesture, thedevice 100 remains in the trackpad mode and the selection 562 of moretext remains on the touch-sensitive display. In some other embodiments(not shown), when the device 100 detects a lift-off event after thedouble-tap and hold-and-drag event, the device 100 immediately exits thetrackpad mode while preserving the selection 562 on display.

FIGS. 6A-6F are flowcharts illustrating a method 600 of activating atouchpad mode using an extended contact over a virtual keyboard, inaccordance with some embodiments. The method 600 is performed at aportable multifunction device (e.g., the device 100 in FIG. 1A) with atouch-sensitive display (e.g., the touch screen display 112 in FIG. 1A).As described below, the method 600 provides a mechanism for activating atrackpad mode at a portable multifunction device with a touch-sensitivedisplay. This method does not require the portable multifunction deviceto include a contact intensity sensor (e.g., a force sensor, or apressure sensor), thus reducing the cost for designing and manufacturingthe portable multifunction device. The method is also intuitive to auser, thereby reducing the number, extent, and/or nature of the inputsfrom the user when activating the trackpad mode, and creating a moreefficient human-machine interface. A more efficient input mechanism alsorequires less computing resources, thereby increasing battery life ofthe device.

Turning to FIG. 6A, the method 600 is performed (602) at electronicdevice that includes a touch-sensitive display coupled with a pluralityof touch sensors. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive display isnot coupled with any force sensors. The electronic device may not beable to directly detect changes in intensities of contact, as the devicelacks any force sensors. In some other embodiments, the touch-sensitivedisplay is coupled with one or more force sensors, but detection of thesingle-finger gestures, as discussed herein, does not require use of anyof the force signals that might be generated by such force sensors. Inother words, even if the device includes force sensors, such forcesensors are not required to detect the single-finger trackpad-activationgestures discussed herein, e.g., the tip-to-print roll gesture and theextended contact over a predetermined mode-switching area of a virtualkeyboard. In some embodiments, the touch sensors of the plurality oftouch sensors are capacitive touch sensors.

In performing the method 600, the electronic device displays (604) avirtual keyboard on the touch-sensitive display, the virtual keyboardincluding displayed representations of a spacebar key and other keys.For example, as shown in FIG. 5A-1, the displayed virtual keyboard 521includes displayed representations of a spacebar key (in the bottom rowof the virtual keyboard 521) and displayed representations of a numberof other keys.

The electronic device also detects (606) a first extended contact overthe virtual keyboard. Extended contacts are also referred to herein as“long presses” and include a contact over the touch-sensitive displaythat lasts for at least an extended-contact detection threshold (e.g.,0.25 seconds). An example of the first extended contact is shown in FIG.5B-1 by way of extended contact 514, which is a contact that lasts for0.25 seconds (as is shown in FIG. 5B-2, where after it is detected thatthe extended contact lasted for 0.25 seconds, then a correspondingextended keyboard function for the “e” keyboard is activated in FIG.5B-2).

In accordance with a determination that the first extended contact isover any of the respective displayed representations of the other keys(e.g., is over the representation of the “e” key in FIGS. 5B-1 and 5B-2,the electronic device interprets (608) the first extended contact as akeyboard input and activates a corresponding extended keyboard function(e.g., the accented options are shown in FIG. 5B-2). In someembodiments, the corresponding extended keyboard function is activatedonly upon detecting that the first extended contact has lasted for atleast the extended-contact-during threshold (e.g., 0.25 seconds). Someof the other keys can be associated with only one keyboard function orwith both a keyboard function (e.g., activated based on a momentarycontact) and an extended keyboard function (e.g., activated based on anextended contact). In instances in which the first extended contact isover a key that is associated with only one keyboard function, then thatone keyboard function is both the keyboard function and the extendedkeyboard function for that key (e.g., as shown in FIG. 5C-1, an extendedcontact 518 that lasts for 0.25 seconds over the “q” key still causesactivation of the “q” key, as both the keyboard function and extendedkeyboard function for the “q” are the same).

The electronic device next detects (610) a second extended contact(e.g., distinct from the first extended contact, such as extendedcontact 532 depicted in FIG. 5E-1) over the virtual keyboard. Inaccordance with a determination that the second extended contact is overa respective displayed representation of the spacebar key (as is shownfor extended contact 532 in FIG. 5E-1), the device interprets (612) thesecond extended contact as a mode-switching input that causes theelectronic device to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as a trackpad. For example, as shown in FIG. 5E-2 a, after theextended contact 532 has remained over the spacebar key for at least theextended-contact-duration threshold, then the device operates at least aportion of the touch-sensitive display as a trackpad. In someembodiments, the electronic device operates at least the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad before the second extendedcontact has lifted-off of the touch-sensitive display, allowing users toboth activate the trackpad and immediately begin use of the trackpad inone fluid motion. In some embodiments, the portion of thetouch-sensitive display is all of the touch-sensitive display.

On devices that do not include force sensors, devising a single-fingergesture that allows for switching to a trackpad mode, while alsoavoiding unnecessary confusion with other gestures is a very difficulttask. Allowing a user to provide an extended contact over a spacebar key(or over another designated area of the virtual keyboard, such as abottom portion of the virtual keyboard that does not include keys) tothen operate the electronic device as a trackpad affords the user with aconvenient way to quickly switch from a keyboard-input mode and to atrackpad mode. Providing this interaction at electronic devices that donot include force sensors enhances operability of these devices andmakes the human-machine interfaces on these devices more efficient(e.g., by allowing users to easily switch to a trackpad mode using asimple gesture without have to waste time trying to place a cursorwithout using a trackpad mode or having to waste time using acomplicated sequence of user inputs or menu options to activate thetrackpad mode).

Turning now to FIG. 6B and continuing from operation 612, whileoperating the portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad,the device detects (614) a lift-off of the second extended contact fromthe touch-sensitive display. Examples of such lift-offs are shown in thefollowing figures: (1) as shown in FIG. 5E-4, extended contact 532 haslifted-off from the touch-sensitive display; (2) as shown in FIG. 5F-3extended contact 538 has lifted-off from the touch-sensitive display;(3) as shown in FIG. 5G-3, extended contact 540 has lifted-off from thetouch-sensitive display; and (4) as shown in FIG. 5H-3, extended contact548 has lifted-off from the touch-sensitive display.

In response to detecting the lift-off of the second extended contact,the device optionally determines (614) whether any movement of thesecond extended contact across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off satisfies a movement parameter.

Use of the movement parameter can allow the electronic device toaccurately determine when to continue operating in the trackpad mode orwhen to exit the trackpad mode. By making the determination as towhether any movement of the second extended contact across thetouch-sensitive display satisfies the movement parameter in response todetecting lift-off, the device preserves computing resources and onlyuses them to make this determination when the determination isimmediately needed. In this way, operability of these devices isenhanced and the human-machine interfaces on these devices operates moreefficiently (e.g., by avoiding wasting resources by makingdeterminations before they are needed).

In some embodiments, the device determines (616) that movement of thesecond extended contact across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off does not satisfy the movement parameter and, in response,ceases (616) to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display asthe trackpad. Examples of this behavior are shown in FIGS. 5E-3 to 5E-4(slow movement, such as slower than 5 pixels/second of movement, beforelift-off) and in FIGS. 5F-2 to 5F-3 (no or very little, such as lessthan 1 inch of, movement before lift-off). The ceasing can occurimmediately, such as within 0.01 seconds after detecting the lift-off.In some embodiments, the device also re-displays the virtual keyboardand again operates the area in which the virtual keyboard was displayedin a keyboard-input mode.

Ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that movement prior to the lift-off doesnot satisfy the movement parameter ensures that the trackpad mode isinvoked only as long as the user needs it. By ensuring that the trackpadmode is invoked only as long as the user needs it, operability of thedevice is enhanced and the human-machine interfaces on this deviceoperates more efficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user is presentedwith the interface controls that they need and avoiding having userswaste time trying to find the interface controls that they need).

In some embodiments, the determining that movement of the secondextended contact across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off does not satisfy the movement parameter includes determining(618) that the second extended contact moved less than a predetermineddistance across the touch-sensitive display prior to the lift-off. Forexample, the second extended contact (e.g., extended contact 538, FIG.5F-2) did not move at all, which indicates that the trackpad mode wasaccidentally invoked and, therefore switching right back to thekeyboard-input mode is what the user will prefer. In some embodiments,the device also re-displays the virtual keyboard and again operates thearea in which the virtual keyboard is displayed in a keyboard-input mode(as is shown in FIG. 5F-3).

Ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that the second extended contact movedless than a predetermined distance across the touch-sensitive displayprior to the lift-off ensures that the trackpad mode is invoked only aslong as the user needs it. If the user moved the second extended contacta very short distance (or no distance at all), then this is anindication that the user has placed the cursor in a desired position andno longer needs to use the trackpad mode (or, when the contact moves nodistance at all, this is an indication that the user accidentallyinvoked the trackpad mode). By ensuring that the trackpad mode isinvoked only as long as the user needs it, operability of the device isenhanced and the human-machine interfaces on this device operates moreefficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user is presented with theinterface controls that they need and avoiding having users waste timetrying to find the interface controls that they need).

In some embodiments, the determining that movement of the secondextended contact across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off does not satisfy the movement parameter includes determining(620) that the second extended contact moved at less than apredetermined speed (e.g., less than a speed of 5 pixels/second or anyappropriate speed that indicates that the user is finely placing thecursor) across the touch-sensitive display prior to the lift-off. Thistype of movement of the second extended contact can indicate that theuser is moving cursor to a specific point and doesn't need trackpad anylonger after they have placed the cursor at a desired position. Anexample is shown in FIG. 5E-3, in which prior to lift-off of contact532, it moves 536 at a slow rate of speed (causing the cursor to befinely placed within the text appearing in region 502) and, thus, inFIG. 5E-4 the trackpad mode is exited.

Ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that the second extended contact moved atless than a predetermined speed across the touch-sensitive display priorto the lift-off ensures that the trackpad mode is invoked only as longas the user needs it. If the user moved the second extended contact aslow speed, then this is an indication that the user has placed thecursor in a desired position and no longer needs to use the trackpadmode. By ensuring that the trackpad mode is invoked only as long as theuser needs it, operability of the device is enhanced and thehuman-machine interfaces on this device operates more efficiently (e.g.,by ensuring that the user is presented with the interface controls thatthey need and avoiding having users waste time trying to find theinterface controls that they need).

The device can also determine (622) that movement of the second extendedcontact across the touch-sensitive display prior to the lift-offsatisfies the movement parameter (e.g., the second extended contactmoved quickly across the display after invoking the trackpad and beforethe lift-off, as is shown in FIG. 5H-2 for extended contact 548) and, inresponse, the device continues to operate the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad for at least a predeterminedamount of time (e.g., for at least 0.5 seconds after detecting lift-offof the second extended contact from the touch-sensitive display).

Continuing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad once it is determined that the second extended contactsatisfies the movement parameter ensures that the trackpad mode isinvoked as long as the user needs it. If the user moved the secondextended contact in a downward direction or at a quicker speed, thenthis is an indication that the user's lift-off of the second extendedcontact was done to allow the user to reposition their finger in orderto continue moving the cursor (e.g., if they moved in a downwarddirection, they could run out of space and will need to lift-off toreposition their finger for continued movement of the cursor). Byensuring that the trackpad mode is invoked as long as the user needs itand without interrupting the user's movement of the cursor, operabilityof the device is enhanced and the human-machine interfaces on thisdevice operates more efficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user ispresented with the interface controls that they need and avoiding havingusers waste time trying to find the interface controls that they need).

With reference now to FIG. 6C (which continues from operation 612 ofFIG. 6A), the electronic device continues (624) to operate the portionof the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad for at least apredetermined amount of time after detecting a lift-off of the secondextended contact from the touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments,the trackpad remains sticky (e.g., remains as the operating mode) evenafter a lift-off of the second extended contact is detected and nomovement parameter is used to determine whether or not the trackpadshould remain sticky. In some embodiments, the predetermined period oftime is equal to or less than 1 second, equal to or less than 0.75seconds, or equal to or less than 0.5 seconds.

In some embodiments, the trackpad is invoked (626) after the secondextended contact has remained in contact with the touch-sensitivedisplay for at least a second predetermined amount of time; and thesecond predetermined amount of time is less than the predeterminedamount of time. For example, the second predetermined amount of time isthe extended-contact-detection-time threshold discussed herein, such as0.25 seconds. In some embodiments then, the trackpad thus remains sticky(in other words, the portion of the display continues to be operated asthe trackpad for more than this 0.25 seconds) even after a lift-off isdetected, which allows users to reposition their fingers without havingto reactivate the trackpad mode again.

In some embodiments, the electronic device, in accordance with adetermination that no input is detected over the portion of thetouch-sensitive display for the predetermined amount of time afterdetecting the lift-off of the second extended contact, ceases to operatethe portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad. An exampleof this is shown in FIG. 5G-5, in which the portion of thetouch-sensitive display is ceased to be operated as the trackpad afterthe predetermined amount of time (e.g., 0.5 seconds) has passed sincedetecting the lift-off of extended contact 540 in FIG. 5G-2.

Operation 630 depicted in FIG. 6C can follow operation 624/626 or canfollow operation 614. In some embodiments, the electronic device detects(630) a double-tap input on the touch-sensitive display while operatingthe portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad, thedouble-tap input being detected within a certain amount of time (e.g.,0.25 seconds or less) after detecting the lift-off of the secondextended contact; and, in response to detecting the double-tap input,the device selects an object that is displayed on the touch-sensitivedisplay. As an example, the object is located next to (on both sides,under, or adjacent) a cursor that is displayed in a content area of thetouch-sensitive display that is outside of an area of thetouch-sensitive display that was used to display the virtual keyboard.Selecting the object can include moving the cursor within the contentarea of the touch-sensitive display to provide a visual indication thatthe object has been selected. The object can be a word (or some othercollection of alphanumeric characters and/or symbols), an image, or acombination of words and images.) An example double-tap input is shownin FIGS. 5J-2 to 5J-4, in which a first tap 556-1 is received (FIG.5J-2), followed by lift-off of that tap (FIG. 5J-3), and followed by asecond tap 556-2 (FIG. 5J-4). In response to detecting this double-tap,the device selects an object displayed in region 502, e.g., selects theword “Liberty” in FIG. 5J-5.

Allowing users to perform a double-tap input to select an object ensuresthat the users are able to select objects (e.g., text, images, or acombination of both) while in the trackpad mode. By ensuring that thetrackpad mode allows for selection of objects, operability of the deviceis enhanced and sustained interactions with the device are then created.

In some embodiments, the device also detects a drag gesture (e.g.,gesture 574, FIG. 5K-5) after the double-tap input and, in response, thedevice selects more of the object as the drag gesture moves (e.g.,selects more of the displayed text within region 502). Stated anotherway, a user is able to perform a drag gesture immediately after adouble-tap input selection gesture in order to adjust how much of theobject to select. Allowing users to perform a drag gesture after adouble-tap input to select more (or less) of an object ensures that theusers are able to select only those portions of the object that theywould like to select (e.g., portions of text, images, or a combinationof both) while in the trackpad mode. By ensuring that the trackpad modeallows for fine-grained selection of objects, operability of the deviceis enhanced and sustained interactions with the device are then created.

With reference now to FIG. 6D, the device detects (634) a third extendedcontact over a part of the virtual keyboard below the displayedrepresentation of the spacebar key, the part of the virtual keyboard notincluding any of the other keys (the third extended contact could bereceived before or after the second extended contact and representsanother way to invoke the trackpad). In accordance with a determinationthat the third extended contact is over a part of the virtual keyboardthat is below the displayed representation of the spacebar key and thatis not used to display any of the representations of the other keys, thedevice interprets (636) the third extended contact as a mode-switchinginput that causes the electronic device to operate at least a portion ofthe touch-sensitive display as a trackpad. In some embodiments, agray-space part of the virtual keyboard can also be used to invoke thetrackpad mode, such as the area that is beneath the spacebar key (statedanother way, instead of or in addition to using the displayedrepresentation of the spacebar key as a mode-switching area, anotherarea such as the area that is beneath the spacebar key may alternativelyor additionally be used as a mode-switching area). In one example, whenthe virtual keyboard is in an emoji mode, then an extended contact atthe bottom of the virtual keyboard beneath the individual emoji keys maybe interpreted as the mode-switching input.

Moving on to FIG. 6E, an extended contact (or a momentary contact) overany of the respective displayed representations of the other keys causes(638) activation of a corresponding extended keyboard function and doesnot cause the electronic device to operate any portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad. At least some of the other keysof the virtual keyboard can also be respectively associated (640) with acorresponding keyboard function that is activated in response to amomentary contact over the key and with a corresponding extendedkeyboard function that is activated in response to an extended contactover the key. As an example, as shown in FIG. 5B-2, an extended contactover the “e” key causes activation of an extended keyboard function forthe “e” key (display of accented input options) and a momentary contactover the “e” key (FIG. 5A-1) causes activation of a default keyboardfunction, such as registering an actuation of the “e” key. For certainkeys of the other keys, the corresponding extended keyboard function andcorresponding default keyboard function may be the same, such as for the“q” key as depicted in FIGS. 5C-1 to 5C-2.).

In some embodiments, while the virtual keyboard is displayed and beforeoperating as the trackpad, the area is operated in a keyboard-input modein which user input at any of the other keys of the virtual keyboard isinterpreted as keyboard input activating keyboard functions or extendedkeyboard functions, depending on the type of input received (eithermomentary or extended contacts). Both before and after the firstextended contact, the area remains operating in the keyboard-input mode.In this way, only extended contacts over a predesignated mode-switchingarea, such as over the spacebar key or an area under the spacebar key,will cause activation of the trackpad.

Operating a same area of the display that was used for the virtualkeyboard as the trackpad allows users to immediately begin using thetrackpad without having to relocate/reposition their finger afterinvoking the trackpad, instead they simply begin moving their finger asdesired to move a cursor and/or to select objects (e.g., using thedouble-tap and double-tap-and-drag gestures discussed above).Additionally, ceasing to display at least some of the displayed symbolsof the virtual keyboard provides users with a clear visual indicationthat trackpad mode has been invoked. By providing these features,operability of the device is enhanced and sustained interactions withthe device are then created (e.g., users do not need to waste time withfinger repositioning and will not be confused as to when the trackpadhas been invoked, thereby allowing for the sustained interactions withthe device).

In some embodiments, the displayed virtual keyboard does not include(642) a function (fn) key, as is shown in FIG. 5D-1.

Turning now to FIG. 6F, the virtual keyboard is displayed (644) in anarea of the touch-sensitive display and each of the displayedrepresentations of the other keys includes a respective displayedsymbol, and operating at least the portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as the trackpad includes (i) operating the area as part of thetrackpad and (ii) ceasing to display at least some of the displayedsymbols of the virtual keyboard. In other words, while operating as thetrackpad, the area of the touch-sensitive display that was previouslyused to display the virtual keyboard is now operated as the trackpad (asis shown in FIG. 5E-2 a, in which the area that was previously used todisplay the virtual keyboard in FIG. 5E-1 is now used as a part of thetrackpad). In some embodiments, the device ceases to display all of thesymbols on the virtual keyboard and can replace the displayed virtualkeyboard with an image that represents a trackpad (depicted in FIG. 5E-2b). In some embodiments, the device can still show key boundaries whileoperating the portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad,but does not display keyboard symbols (depicted in FIG. 5E-2 a), and inthis way the device provides a clear visual indication to a user thatthe area is now being operated as a trackpad)

Additionally, while operating the portion of the display as thetrackpad, any input at the touch-sensitive display over at least theportion controls (646) movement of a cursor that is displayed in anotherportion of the touch-sensitive display. For example, while operating asthe trackpad, swipe gestures that move across the touch-sensitivedisplay cause a cursor that is displayed on the touch-sensitive displayto be moved in accordance with movement of the swipe gesture.

In some embodiments, haptic feedback is also provided in conjunctionwith invoking operation of the portion of the touch-sensitive display asthe trackpad (648). For example, once it is detected that there is anextended contact over the displayed representation of the spacebar keyfor at least the extended-contact-duration threshold (e.g., 0.25seconds), then the device both switches to operate in the trackpad modeand also provides haptic/tactile feedback (FIG. 5H-1) to indicate thatthe mode has switched.

Although devices without any force sensors are used as a primaryexplanatory example above, the extended contact that is used to activatea trackpad mode in method 600 can also be implemented on devices that doinclude force sensors, but detection of these single-finger gesturesdoes not require use any of the force signals that might be generated bysuch force sensors (stated another way, even if the device did haveforce sensors, such force sensors are not required to detect thesingle-finger trackpad-activation gesture, e.g., the extended contactover a predetermined mode-switching area of a virtual keyboard (examplesof the mode-switching area include a spacebar key or an area of thevirtual keyboard that is below the spacebar key)). Additionally,although an extended contact over a displayed representation of aspacebar key is used as a primary explanatory example of atrackpad-activation gesture above, the extended contact can also bereceived over another mode-switching area, such as over an area of thevirtual keyboard that is located below the displayed representation ofthe spacebar key and that does not include any displayed representationsof keys (e.g., an empty space of the virtual keyboard that does notinclude any keys).

It should be understood that the particular order in which theoperations in FIGS. 6A-6F have been described is merely one example andis not intended to indicate that the described order is the only orderin which the operations could be performed. One of ordinary skill in theart would recognize various ways to reorder the operations describedherein and/or to combine the operations in various ways with theoperations described with reference to FIGS. 4, 7, and 9A-9D.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method 700 of activating a trackpadmode using one or more single-finger gestures including a tip-to-printroll gesture, in accordance with some embodiments. The method 700 isperformed at a portable multifunction device (e.g., the device 100 inFIG. 1A) with a touch-sensitive display (e.g., the touch screen display112 in FIG. 1A). As described below, the method 700 provides a mechanismfor activating a trackpad mode (e.g., from a keyboard mode) at aportable multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display. Thismethod does not require the portable multifunction device to include acontact intensity sensor (e.g., a force sensor, or a pressure sensor),thus reducing the cost for designing and manufacturing the portablemultifunction device. That said, in some embodiments, the method maystill be used on a device having a force sensor. The method is alsointuitive to a user, thereby reducing the number, extent, and/or natureof the inputs from the user when activating the trackpad mode, andcreating a more efficient human-machine interface. A more efficientinput mechanism also requires less computing resources, therebyincreasing battery life of the device.

FIGS. 8A-1 to 8F illustrate examples of user interfaces for activating atrackpad mode using finger gestures including a tip-to-print rollgesture, in accordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces inFIGS. 8A-1 to 8F are used to illustrate the processes described withrespect to FIG. 7 and FIGS. 9A-9D.

In FIG. 8A-1, editable content 800 is displayed in a contentpresentation region 802 while an application (e.g., notes application153 or message application 141) is in a text editing mode. In someembodiments, the content 800 in the content presentation region 802comprises text (e.g., plain text, unstructured text, formatted text, ortext in a web page). In other embodiments, the content comprisesgraphics with or without text. Moreover, the content may be editable orread-only. In addition to displaying the content, when no content isselected, the device 100 may display a cursor (e.g., cursor 822) withinthe electronic document, e.g., for text entry. In addition, a virtualkeyboard 821 is displayed for text input.

In some embodiments, the device 100 has capacitive sensor array (notshown, but described above in relation to FIG. 1A) that generate outputsignals for measuring proximity, position, displacement, and/oracceleration of one or more contacts with the touch-sensitive display.In some embodiments, the device 100 continuously monitors touch inputsand continuous movements of the touch inputs on the touch screen 112.

In some embodiments, while displaying the content of the electronicdocument, the device 100 detects a change in the output signal of thesensor array. In some embodiments, the device 100 determines a centroidof a contact input based on the signals registered with one or moresensors (e.g., capacitive electrodes) of the sensor array. The centroidis used to determine a location of a corresponding contact input on thetouch screen. In some embodiments, the centroid is the geometric centerof the contact area. In some embodiments, the centroid is the geometriccenter of an area of the touch sensitive surface that is being contactedor touched by the user (e.g., the area with a measured capacitance overa predetermined threshold). In some embodiments, the centroid isdetermined to be at a location corresponding to one or more sensors ofthe sensor array that output the strongest signals (e.g., the geometriccenter of the one or more sensors outputting the strongest signals).

In some embodiments, the device 100 determines what type of fingergesture has been made on the touch sensitive display by detecting one ormore parameters selected from (1) a change in the contact area, (2) achange in the location of the centroid, (3) a change in the speed of themovement of the centroid, (4) a change in a saturation level of at leastone of the plurality of touch sensors, and (5) a change in an angle of auser's finger making the contact relative to the touch sensitivedisplay. These may occur, for example, when the user rolls their fingeron the touch sensitive surface from the tip of the user's finger to theflatter part of the user's finger (e.g., the print or where the user'sfingerprint is located).

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8A-1, in some embodiments, the device 100 firstdetects a contact 830-1 on the keyboard 812. Based on the output signalfrom the sensor array of the device in response to the contact 830-1that is detected on the sensor arrays, the device 100 may determine thatcontact 830-1 corresponds to a contact between a user's fingertip(“tip”) and the touch screen.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8A-2, the output signal of thecontact 830-2 may indicate that a contact area has increased from thecontact 830-1 in FIG. 8A-1, and the location of the contact centroid hasmoved downward as the user further rolls their finger or presses harder.In some embodiments, the changes in the contact area and the location ofthe contact centroid are continuous from the contact 830-1 to thecontact 830-2, i.e., there is no break in contact (e.g., a lift-offevent). In some embodiments, as further monitored in FIG. 8A-3, theoutput signal of the contact 830-3 indicates that the contact areacontinues to increase and the contact centroid continues to movedownward as the user further rolls their finger or presses harder. Thedevice 100 may determine that contact 830-3 corresponds to a contactbetween a fingerprint portion (“print”) of a user's finger and the touchscreen.

In some embodiments, the device 100 determines that a tip-to-print rollgesture has been detected (702) from FIG. 8A-1 to FIG. 8A-3. In responseto detecting a tip-to-print roll gesture, as shown in FIG. 8A-3, thedevice 100 enters (704) the trackpad mode. For example, the trackpad 823replaces the keyboard 821, where the trackpad 823 does not display thealphanumeric characters on the keys. In some embodiments, the trackpad823 shows the boundaries of each of the individual virtual keys withoutthe alphanumeric characters. In some other embodiments as shown in FIG.5E-2 b, the trackpad removes the boundaries of the virtual keys from thevirtual keyboard to provide a visual indication that the virtualkeyboard has changed into a trackpad mode. In some embodiments, once thesoft trackpad mode is activated, the device 100 further displays a ghostcursor 825 offset from the current location of the real cursor 822 asshown in FIG. 8A-3.

In some embodiments, the device 100 detects (705) a second gesture(e.g., a movement, a lift-off event, or another roll gesture, such as anunroll gesture). The device 100 proceeds to determine (706) a gesturetype of the second gesture that follows the tip-to-print roll gesturedetected at step 702.

In some embodiments, the device 100 detects that the print contact 830-3moves (712) on the trackpad 823. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A-4,based on the output signal of contact 830-3, the device 100 candetermine a curved movement path 834 of the centroid of the contact830-3. Accordingly, the device 100 determines that the print contact830-3 moves (834) along the same curved path. In response, the cursorsmove (714) in the content presentation region 802 along the same curvedpath. In some embodiments, the device 100 proceeds to detect (715) anext gesture (e.g., a continued movement of the contact, a lift-offevent, or another roll gesture, etc.) The device then determines (706)the gesture type of this next gesture following the movement of thefingerprint contact and the cursor(s) on the touch screen (e.g.,movement 834 in FIG. 8A-4).

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 8B, the device 100 detects nooutput signal on the sensor array, and the device 100 determines (708)that a finger lift-off event of the print contact 830-3 has occurred. Inresponse, the device 100 exits (710) the trackpad mode, and the keyboard821 replaces the trackpad 823 on the touch screen.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 8C-1, based on the output signalfrom the device in response to the print contact 830-3 that follows thetip-to-print roll gesture (e.g., as discussed with reference to FIGS.8A-1 to 8A-4) and without any lift-off event, the device 100 determines(705) a print contact 830-3 remains on the trackpad 823. In someembodiments, as shown in FIG. 8C-2, the output signal from the device inresponse to the contact indicates that a contact area has decreased fromthe contact 830-3 in FIG. 8C-1, and the location of the contact centroidhas moved upward as the user further unrolls his or her finger (fromfingerprint to fingertip) or presses lighter.

In some embodiments, as further monitored in FIG. 8C-3, the outputsignal of the contact 830-3 indicates that the contact area continues todecrease and the contact centroid continues to move upward as the userfurther unrolls his or her finger or presses lighter on the touchscreen. The device 100 may determine that contact 830-1 corresponds to acontact between a fingertip portion (“tip”) of a user's finger and thetouch screen.

In some embodiments, after detecting the change of one or moreparameters (e.g., area size, velocity, centroid movement, etc.) of theuser's finger contact on the touch screen as discussed with reference toFIG. 8C-1 to FIG. 8C-3, the device 100 determines (716) that aprint-to-tip unroll gesture has been detected. In response, as shown inFIG. 8C-3, the device 100 maintains (718) the trackpad mode. The device100 then detects (719) a third gesture (e.g., a lift-off event, amovement of the contact, or another roll gesture, such as a re-rollgesture). The device 100 proceeds to determine (720) a gesture type ofthe third gesture.

In some embodiments, the device 100 detects that the fingertip contact830-1 moves (726) on the trackpad 823. For example, as shown in FIG.8C-4, based on the output signal from the device in response to thecontact 830-1, the device 100 detects (719) a curved movement path 835of the centroid of the contact 830-1. Accordingly, the device 100determines that the fingertip contact 830-1 moves (835) along the samecurved path. In response, the cursors move (728) in the contentpresentation region 802 along the same curved path. In some embodiments,the device 100 proceeds to detect (729) a next gesture (e.g., acontinued movement of the contact, a lift-off event, or another rollgesture, etc.). The device then determines (720) the gesture type ofthis next gesture following the movement of the fingertip contact on thetouch screen (e.g., movement 835 in FIG. 8C-4).

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 8D, the device 100 detects nooutput signal on the sensor arrays, thus determines (722) that a fingerlift-off event of the print contact 830-1 has occurred. In response, thedevice 100 exits (724) the trackpad mode, and the keyboard 821 replacesthe trackpad 823 on the touch screen.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 8E-1, based on the output signalfrom the device in response to the fingertip contact 830-1 that followsthe print-to-tip unroll gesture (e.g., as discussed with reference toFIGS. 8C-1 to 8C-4) and without any lift-off event, the device 100determines (719) a fingertip contact 830-1 remains on the trackpad 823.In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8E-2, the output signal from thedevice in response to the contact indicates that a contact area hasincreased from the contact 830-1 in FIG. 8E-1, and the location of thecontact centroid has moved downward as the user further rerolls his orher finger (from fingertip to fingerprint) or presses harder.

In some embodiments, as further monitored in FIG. 8E-3, the outputsignal of the contact 830-3 indicates that the contact area continues toincrease and the contact centroid continues to move downward as the userfurther rerolls his or her finger or presses harder on the touch screen.The device 100 may determine that contact 830-3 corresponds to a contactbetween a fingerprint portion (“print”) of a user's finger and the touchscreen.

In some embodiments, after detecting the change of one or moreparameters (e.g., area size, velocity, centroid movement, etc.) of theuser's finger contact on the touch screen as discussed with reference toFIGS. 8E-1 to 8E-3, the device 100 determines the device 100 determines(730) that a tip-to-print re-roll gesture has been detected. Inresponse, as shown in FIG. 8E-3, the device 100 selects (732) one ormore objects (e.g., texts, image, etc.) on the touch screen. In someembodiments, the device 100 selects the object(s) associated with wherethe cursor(s) are located at on the touch screen.

The device 100 then detects (733) a fourth gesture (e.g., a lift-offevent, a movement of the contact, or another roll gesture, etc.). Thedevice 100 proceeds to determine (734) a gesture type of the fourthgesture.

In some embodiments, the device 100 detects that the fingerprint contact830-3 moves (740) on the trackpad 823. For example, as shown in FIG.8E-4, based on the output signal from the device in response to contact830-3, the device 100 can determine a curved movement path 860 of thecentroid of the contact 830-3. In some embodiments as shown in FIG.8E-4, the device 100 selects (742) more object(s) displayed in thecontent presentation region 802. For example, as shown in FIG. 8E-4, themore selected texts are located proximate the area where the curved path860 goes through in the content presentation region 802.

In some embodiments, the device 100 proceeds to detect (743) a nextgesture (e.g., a continued movement of the contact, a lift-off event, oranother roll gesture, etc.). The device then determines (734) thegesture type of this next gesture following the movement of thefingerprint contact on the touch screen (e.g., movement 860 in FIG.8E-4).

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 8F, the device 100 detects nooutput signal on the sensor arrays, thus determines (736) that a fingerlift-off event of the print contact 830-3 has occurred. In response, thedevice 100 exits (738) the trackpad mode, and the keyboard 821 replacesthe trackpad 823 on the touch screen.

FIGS. 9A-9D is a flow chart illustrating a method 900 of activating atouchpad mode using a single-finger roll gesture, in accordance withsome embodiments. The method 900 is performed at a portablemultifunction device (e.g., the device 100 in FIG. 1A) with a touchscreen display (e.g., the touch screen display 112 in FIG. 1A). Asdescribed below, the method 900 provides a mechanism for activating atrackpad mode at a portable multifunction device with a touch screendisplay. This method does not require the portable multifunction deviceto include a contact intensity sensor (e.g., a force sensor, or apressure sensor), thus reducing the cost for designing and manufacturingthe portable multifunction device. The method is also intuitive to auser, thereby reducing the number, extent, and/or nature of the inputsfrom the user when activating the trackpad mode, and creating a moreefficient human-machine interface. A more efficient input mechanism alsorequires less computing resources, thereby increasing battery life ofthe device.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the method 900 is performed at an electronic devicethat includes a touch-sensitive display coupled with a plurality oftouch sensors, wherein the touch-sensitive display is not coupled withany force sensors. In other words, the electronic device is not able todirectly detect changes in intensities of contact, as the device lacksany force sensors. In some embodiments, the touch sensors of theplurality of touch sensors are capacitive touch sensors. Again, in someembodiments, force sensors are present in the device, but are not usedin performing the method 900.

In performing the method 900, the device displays (904) a virtualkeyboard on the touch-sensitive display (e.g., virtual keyboard 821 isshown as displayed in FIG. 8A-1). The device also detects (906) anoutput from at least one of the plurality of touch sensors, the outputindicating a contact with the touch-sensitive display over at least partof the virtual keyboard, where the contact comprises an area of thetouch-sensitive display that has a centroid. A representation of thisoutput is shown in FIG. 8A-1 (in the bottom right corner), in which thedevice is able to derive information regarding the area contact by thecontact and is also able to determine a centroid of this area.

The device also detects (908) a change in the output from at least oneof the plurality of touch sensors, the change in the output indicatingthat the area of the contact has expanded and the centroid has moved.For example, the device may be detecting a roll of the user's fingerthat causes the user's finger to contact a different area of thetouch-sensitive display, the different area (i) being larger than thefirst area and (ii) having a different centroid distinct and separatefrom the centroid, the different centroid being over at least part ofthe user interface element. In some embodiments, the device monitors theoutput from the touch sensors (e.g., capacitance signals) to determine avariety of parameters, including area of the contact and location of acentroid (among others that are discussed in more detail below). In thisway, the device is able to finely discriminate between different typesof gestures. An example is depicted in FIGS. 8A-1 to 8A-3, in which auser provides a roll gesture that beings in 8A-1 and concludes in 8A-3,and the representations of the touch sensor output in each of thesefigures shows how the area expands and the centroid moves.

The inventors have discovered that it is important to monitor bothexpansion of the area and movement of the centroid (and other inputcharacteristics, such as saturation of capacitance sensors, velocity ofmovement of the centroid, and/or a calculated angle of a user's fingermaking the contact relative to the touch-sensitive display) in order todetermine that a tip-to-print roll gesture has been detected. Monitoringonly one of these parameters, and not both, results in inefficientrecognition of the gesture, thereby, causing frustration to users thatmay accidentally invoke trackpad mode when it is not needed.

In accordance with detecting the change, the device operates (910) atleast a portion of the touch-sensitive display as a trackpad and ceasesto operate the virtual keyboard (e.g., so that inputs over the portionof the touch-sensitive display control movement of a cursor that isdisplayed in another area of the touch-sensitive display that is outsideof the area).

Allowing a user to roll a single finger over the virtual keyboard tothen operate the electronic device as a trackpad affords the user with aconvenient way to quickly switch from a keyboard-input mode and to atrackpad mode using only a single finger; and detecting that roll bymonitoring both expansion of the area and movement of the centroidensures that the gesture is accurately detected and is not confused withother types of gestures. Providing this interaction at electronicdevices that do not include force sensors enhances operability of thesedevices and makes the human-machine interfaces on these devices moreefficient (e.g., by allowing users to easily switch to a trackpad modeusing a simple gesture without have to waste time trying to place acursor without using a trackpad mode or having to waste time using acomplicated sequence of user inputs or menu options to activate thetrackpad mode).

Turning now to FIG. 9B, in some embodiments, text is displayed on thetouch-sensitive display in an area of the touch-sensitive display thatis adjacent to the displayed virtual keyboard and a cursor is displayedat a position within the text. The device optionally, while continuingto operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad,detects (912) an additional change in the output from at least one ofthe plurality of touch sensors, the additional change in the outputindicating that the area of the contact has reduced and the centroid hasmoved (e.g., un-roll of the user's finger, as depicted in FIGS. 8C-1 to8C-3) and, in response to detecting the additional change in the output,the device maintains display (912) of the cursor at the position withinthe text (e.g., user can un-roll to begin moving the cursor, but thatun-roll will not cause the cursor to move around). As shown in FIG.8C-3, after the un-roll gesture is complete, the position of the cursorwithin region 802 is the same as it was in FIG. 8C-1 when the un-rollgesture began.

Ensuring that the cursor does not move (e.g., maintains its position) asa user un-rolls their finger over the touch-sensitive display, helps toensure that the cursor is accurately placed based on the user's intent.When the user is just un-rolling their finger, they are doing so beforethey have started moving the cursor. Alternatively, an unroll gesture(e.g., a print-to-tip unroll) can also occur after the user moves thecursor but without lifting-off his or her finger from the touch screen.By maintaining the cursor in place during the un-roll, therefore,operability of the device is enhanced and the human-machine interface ismade to operate more efficiently (e.g., by ensuring that the user neednot waste time reversing unintended cursor movements).

In some embodiments, after detecting the additional change and whilecontinuing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad, movement of the contact across the touch-sensitive displaycauses (914) the cursor to move to different positions within the text.For example, as shown in FIG. 8C-4, movement 834 of the contact 836-3across the touch-sensitive display 112 causes corresponding movement ofthe cursor within region 802.

In some embodiments, the electronic device also, while continuing tooperate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad:detects (916) one more change in the output from at least one of theplurality of touch sensors, the one more change indicating that the areaof the contact has expanded and the centroid has moved (e.g., anothertip-to-print gesture is detected); and in response to detecting the onemore change, the device selects (916) at least a part of the text. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 8E-1 to 8E-3, a new roll gesture is detectedwhile the device is already operating the portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as the trackpad, and, therefore in response to the new rollgesture, text is selected within the region 802 (as depicted in FIG.8E-3).

In some embodiments, the electronic device detects (918) a lift-off ofthe contact from the touch-sensitive display, and, in response, ceases(918) to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad. For example, as shown in FIG. 8F, after lift-off of thecontact 840-3 is detected, the device then ceases to operate the portionof the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad (as is shown in FIG. 8F).

Turning now to FIG. 9C, in some embodiments, the output and the changein the output are detected (920) based at least in part on capacitancesignals registered or measured by at least one of the plurality of touchsensors. Detecting the output and the change in the output based atleast in part on capacitance signals helps to ensure that the gesture isaccurately detected and is not confused with other types of gestures,and enables devices that do not include force sensors to accuratelydetected new gesture types, such as the roll/tip-to-print gesturediscussed herein. Providing this accurate detection at electronicdevices that do not include force sensors enhances operability of thesedevices and makes the human-machine interfaces on these devices moreefficient (e.g., by allowing users to easily switch to a trackpad modeusing a simple gesture without have to waste time trying to place acursor without using a trackpad mode or having to waste time using acomplicated sequence of user inputs or menu options to activate thetrackpad mode).

In some embodiments, the change in the output is detected (922) based onone or more of: (i) a velocity of movement of the centroid; (ii) changein size of the area; (iii) saturation level of at least one of theplurality of touch sensors; and (iv) a calculated angle of a user'sfinger making the contact relative to the touch-sensitive display.

In some embodiments, the change in the output is further detected (924)based on a velocity of movement of the centroid.

In some embodiments, the change in the output is further detected (926)based on a change in size of the area.

In some embodiments, the change in the output is further detected (928)based on a saturation level of at least one of the plurality of touchsensors.

In some embodiments, the change in the output is further detected (930)based on a calculated angle of a user's finger making the contactrelative to the touch-sensitive display.

Monitoring the other pieces of data discussed above (e.g., with respectto operations 922 to 930) to detect the output and the change in theoutput helps to ensure that the gesture is accurately detected and isnot confused with other types of gestures, and enables devices that donot include force sensors to accurately detected new gesture types, suchas the roll/tip-to-print gesture discussed herein. Monitoring thisadditional data helps to improve the accuracy of detecting this newgesture at electronic devices that do not include force sensors, therebyenhancing operability of these devices and making the human-machineinterfaces on these devices more efficient (e.g., by ensuring that thegesture is accurately detected, users will not have to waste timereversing activation of undesired functions).

Turning now to FIG. 9D, in some embodiments, haptic/tactile feedback isprovided in conjunction with (e.g., at the same time as) operating theportion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad. For example,once the tip-to-print roll gesture is detected (e.g., expansion of thecontact area and movement of the centroid is detected), then thehaptic/tactile feedback is provided at the same time as the portion ofthe touch-sensitive display is switched to operate as the trackpad.

In some embodiments, the roll gesture can be used in addition to or asan alternative to the extended contact gesture discussed above. As such,the features discussed above regarding the extended contact gesture usedto invoke the trackpad mode (e.g., method 600) may be used in additionto the features described here regarding the roll gesture.

It should be understood that the particular order in which theoperations in FIGS. 9A-9D have been described is merely one example andis not intended to indicate that the described order is the only orderin which the operations could be performed. One of ordinary skill in theart would recognize various ways to reorder the operations describedherein and/or to combine the operations in various ways with theoperations described with reference to FIGS. 4, 7, and 6A-6F.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best use the invention and variousdescribed embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: at an electronic devicethat includes a touch-sensitive display coupled with a plurality oftouch sensors, wherein the touch-sensitive display is not coupled withany force sensors: displaying a virtual keyboard on the touch-sensitivedisplay, the virtual keyboard including displayed representations of aspacebar key and other keys; detecting a first extended contact over thevirtual keyboard; in accordance with a determination that the firstextended contact is over any of the respective displayed representationsof the other keys, interpreting the first extended contact as a keyboardinput and activating a corresponding extended keyboard function; anddetecting a second extended contact over the virtual keyboard; and inaccordance with a determination that the second extended contact is overa respective displayed representation of the spacebar key: interpretingthe second extended contact as a mode-switching input that causes theelectronic device to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as a trackpad; and changing a visual appearance of the virtualkeyboard from a virtual keyboard appearance to a trackpad appearance;and maintaining the trackpad appearance for at least a predeterminedamount of time after detecting a lift-off of the second extended contactfrom the touch-sensitive display, wherein the predetermined amount oftime is a non-zero amount of time.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising, while operating as the trackpad: in response to detectingthe lift-off of the second extended contact, determining whether anymovement of the second extended contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay prior to the lift-off satisfies a movement parameter.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, further comprising: determining that movement of thesecond extended contact across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off does not satisfy the movement parameter and, in response,ceasing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining thatmovement of the second extended contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay prior to the lift-off does not satisfy the movement parameterincludes determining that the second extended contact moved less than apredetermined distance across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining thatmovement of the second extended contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay prior to the lift-off does not satisfy the movement parameterincludes determining that the second extended contact moved at less thana predetermined speed across the touch-sensitive display prior to thelift-off.
 6. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining thatmovement of the second extended contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay prior to the lift-off satisfies the movement parameter and, inresponse, continuing to operate the portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as the trackpad for at least the predetermined amount of time.7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: detecting a double-tapinput on the touch-sensitive display while operating the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad, the double-tap input beingdetected within a certain amount of time after detecting the lift-off ofthe second extended contact; and, in response to detecting thedouble-tap input, selecting an object that is displayed on thetouch-sensitive display.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising,detecting a drag gesture after the double-tap input and, in response,selecting more of the object as the drag gesture moves.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: in conjunction with maintaining thetrackpad appearance, continuing to operate the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad for at least the predeterminedamount of time after detecting a lift-off of the second extended contactfrom the touch-sensitive display.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein thetrackpad is invoked after the second extended contact has remained incontact with the touch-sensitive display for at least a secondpredetermined amount of time; and the second predetermined amount oftime is less than the predetermined amount of time.
 11. The method ofclaim 9, further comprising, in accordance with a determination that noinput is detected over the portion of the touch-sensitive display forthe predetermined amount of time after detecting the lift-off of thesecond extended contact, ceasing to operate the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad.
 12. The method of claim 1,wherein an extended contact over any of the respective displayedrepresentations of the other keys causes activation of a correspondingextended keyboard function and does not cause the electronic device tooperate any portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein: the virtual keyboard is displayed in anarea of the touch-sensitive display and each of the displayedrepresentations of the other keys includes a respective displayedsymbol, and wherein operating at least the portion of thetouch-sensitive display as the trackpad includes (i) operating the areaas part of the trackpad, and (ii) ceasing to display at least some ofthe displayed symbols of the virtual keyboard.
 14. The method of claim1, further comprising: detecting a third extended contact over a part ofthe virtual keyboard below the displayed representation of the spacebarkey, where the part of the virtual keyboard does not include any of theother keys; and in accordance with a determination that the thirdextended contact is over the part of the virtual keyboard, interpretingthe third extended contact as a mode-switching input that causes theelectronic device to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitivedisplay as a trackpad.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein, whileoperating as the trackpad, any input at the touch-sensitive display overat least the portion controls movement of a cursor that is displayed inanother portion of the touch-sensitive display.
 16. The method of claim1, wherein at least some of the other keys of the virtual keyboard arerespectively associated with a corresponding keyboard function that isactivated in response to a momentary contact over the key and with acorresponding extended keyboard function that is activated in responseto an extended contact over the key.
 17. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: providing haptic feedback in conjunction with invokingoperation of the portion of the touch-sensitive display as the trackpad.18. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed virtual keyboard doesnot include a function (fn) key.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein themode-switching input causes the electronic device to operate all of thetouch-sensitive display as a trackpad.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein: while operating all of the touch-sensitive display as thetrackpad, any input at the touch-sensitive display controls movement ofa cursor that is displayed on the touch-sensitive display, and a swipegesture that moves across the touch-sensitive display causes the cursorthat is displayed on the touch-sensitive display to be moved inaccordance with movement of the swipe gesture, the swipe gestureincluding upward and/or downward movement.
 21. The method of claim 1,wherein the extended contact is a long press that remains in astationary position over the respective displayed representation of thespacebar key.
 22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumstoring executable instructions that, when executed by one or moreprocessors of an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display,wherein the electronic device is not coupled with any force sensors,cause the electronic device to: display a virtual keyboard on thetouch-sensitive display, the virtual keyboard including displayedrepresentations of a spacebar key and other keys; detect a firstextended contact over the virtual keyboard; in accordance with adetermination that the first extended contact is over any of therespective displayed representations of the other keys, interpret thefirst extended contact as a keyboard input and activating acorresponding extended keyboard function; and detect a second extendedcontact over the virtual keyboard; and in accordance with adetermination that the second extended contact is over a respectivedisplayed representation of the spacebar key: interpret the secondextended contact as a mode-switching input that causes the electronicdevice to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitive display as atrackpad; and change a visual appearance of the virtual keyboard from avirtual keyboard appearance to a trackpad appearance; and maintain thetrackpad appearance for at least a predetermined amount of time afterdetecting a lift-off of the second extended contact from thetouch-sensitive display, wherein the predetermined amount of time is anon-zero amount of time.
 23. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 22, wherein the mode-switching input causes theelectronic device to operate all of the touch-sensitive display as atrackpad.
 24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 23, wherein: while operating all of the touch-sensitive display asthe trackpad, any input at the touch-sensitive display controls movementof a cursor that is displayed on the touch-sensitive display, and aswipe gesture that moves across the touch-sensitive display causes thecursor that is displayed on the touch-sensitive display to be moved inaccordance with movement of the swipe gesture, the swipe gestureincluding upward and/or downward movement.
 25. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the extendedcontact is a long press that remains in a stationary position over therespective displayed representation of the spacebar key.
 26. Anelectronic device, comprising: one or more processors; a touch-sensitivedisplay; and memory storing one or more programs that are configured forexecution by the one or more processors, wherein the electronic deviceis not coupled with any force sensors, and wherein the one or moreprograms include instructions for: displaying a virtual keyboard on thetouch-sensitive display, the virtual keyboard including displayedrepresentations of a spacebar key and other keys; detecting a firstextended contact over the virtual keyboard; in accordance with adetermination that the first extended contact is over any of therespective displayed representations of the other keys, interpreting thefirst extended contact as a keyboard input and activating acorresponding extended keyboard function; and detecting a secondextended contact over the virtual keyboard; and in accordance with adetermination that the second extended contact is over a respectivedisplayed representation of the spacebar key: interpreting the secondextended contact as a mode-switching input that causes the electronicdevice to operate at least a portion of the touch-sensitive display as atrackpad; and changing a visual appearance of the virtual keyboard froma virtual keyboard appearance to a trackpad appearance; and maintainingthe trackpad appearance for at least a predetermined amount of timeafter detecting a lift-off of the second extended contact from thetouch-sensitive display, wherein the predetermined amount of time is anon-zero amount of time.
 27. The electronic device of claim 26, whereinthe mode-switching input causes the electronic device to operate all ofthe touch-sensitive display as a trackpad.
 28. The electronic device ofclaim 26, wherein: while operating all of the touch-sensitive display asthe trackpad, any input at the touch-sensitive display controls movementof a cursor that is displayed on the touch-sensitive display, and aswipe gesture that moves across the touch-sensitive display causes thecursor that is displayed on the touch-sensitive display to be moved inaccordance with movement of the swipe gesture, the swipe gestureincluding upward and/or downward movement.
 29. The electronic device ofclaim 26, wherein the extended contact is a long press that remains in astationary position over the respective displayed representation of thespacebar key.